Altered States
by VioletWylde
Summary: Sasuke knew how he felt about Naruto, but fear kept him from acting. What happens when those fears are locked away? When suppressed feelings are allowed to surface? A mysterious extra credit assignment may provide opportunity. AU. Yaoi. Lemons & language.
1. Graduation Day

**Summary: Sasuke knew how he felt about Naruto, but fear kept him from acting. What happens when fears are locked away? When suppressed feelings finally surface? **

**A/N: Hello again! My inspiration for this fic actually came before Chemicals, but I had some kinks to work out, so I put it off until I felt the concept was more refined. I haven't quite finished this bad boy yet (thanks Pocket Dial for going on for three chapters XD), but I would say I am over the halfway point. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated - I am always happy to tweak what I have written if the story seems lacking in some way, so feel free to offer your critiques. **

**This chapter is a prologue, taking place a few years before the actual story.**

**Warnings: SasuNaru ahead so watch out! If you don't dig the sweet boyxboy goodness that is yaoi... you have a few chapters to change your mind. If you think you don't like sasunaru, give it a shot... you may be surprised.**

**Disclaimer: I have not, nor will I ever own Naruto. The only compensation I receive for my writing is the warm fuzzies reviewers give me.**

* * *

Sasuke shifted in his seat, his ass was falling asleep. 406 students down, only 5 to go. He bobbed his head and watched the white tassel dance just inside his periphery. He looked up and smiled as Naruto approached, diploma in hand. The blond took his seat next to the pale boy and offered a goofy grin as he proudly held out the hunter green binder. Sasuke rolled his eyes and watched as the next student made their way up to the podium.

Finally the last student returned to their seat and the class was asked to stand. Sasuke huffed as he got to his feet; a smile forced its way to surface and as Naruto continued to nudge him with his elbow, the smile turned more genuine. The announcement was made, it was official – they had graduated. The class erupted in hollers, jumping and screaming. A few students tossed their caps and Sasuke watched carefully and the mortarboards whizzed around above his head. Through the cacophony the raven-haired boy still managed to hear Naruto's quiet voice.

"I need to talk to you," he spoke softly, very close to Sasuke's ear.

It wasn't the proximity or the tone that had Sasuke on edge, it was the language. Naruto only spoke in Japanese when he didn't want anybody else to hear what he had to say but he didn't want to wait until they were out of earshot. Sometimes it was just a joke or a snide remark, but most of the time it meant something more personal, private.

It didn't used to be this way; when they first met they used their shared language to insult each other relentlessly without their teachers' knowledge. Sasuke had started it, openly mocking Naruto in PE – he had been utterly shocked when the white boy whipped around and retorted in the same tongue.

Sometime around 15 they outgrew their rivalry; there was no epic battle or life changing event that brought them together - they simply shed it like old skin. Perhaps that is what it means to mature; realizing that there are more important things in life than being petty and starting fights. By their sophomore year they realized they had more in common than not and grew amiable. Cordial became friendly became inseparable.

Now it was graduation day and they were preparing for their futures. Sasuke looked around through the thick sea of people, it would be several minutes before students and families could be reunited. He grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled him through the crowd and under the bleachers. They ducked under metal bars and weaved between posts, finally stopping several yards in. The pale boy pulled off his cap and ran his fingers through his ink black hair – it didn't take much for the back to re-inflate and protrude in thick spikes.

"I know this probably isn't the best time," Naruto was once again speaking in English, "but I just really have to get this off my chest."

Sasuke's gaze faltered for a moment, his eyebrow twitched with anticipation, but he kept his voice smooth as he spoke, "what's up?"

Naruto pulled his cap off and ruffled his blond locks. He looked down, his eyes almost meek. He heaved a sigh and returned his gaze to Sasuke. Sasuke who stood with confidence, who was always so strong, so determined. Sasuke who, the blond thought, had no fears, no secrets.

"I didn't expect to feel this way," Naruto began as he fiddled with his cap.

_Feel what?_ Sasuke swallowed discreetly, but he didn't let his anxiety slip.

"I mean, being with you – I thought it would be okay."

_He isn't talking about what I think he is talking about... is he? No, no that couldn't be it... he doesn't feel that way._

"But now that I've had time to think about it, the idea is kind of scary. Its just so...different."

_Different isn't bad, different can be fantastic. I can show you..._

"I may not be as ready as I would like to be, but at least if I am with you I know I can do it."

_We can take it slow, there is no need to rush. I won't hurt you._

After a pause and a deep inhale, azure eyes peered deeply into those steady onyx orbs, "Sasuke... will you take a class with me?"

"Of course I – wait...what?" the pale boy was quickly snapped out of his thoughts.

"I think it will be an easier transition for me if I have somebody I know in at least one of my classes," Naruto gave a sheepish grin.

Sasuke's heart clenched tightly and he sucked in a breath. _No, of course it wouldn't be that._ He remained stoic as he responded, "dobe it is our first year of college, it's going to be mostly gen eds, we are bound to have a class or two together."

The blond laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "oh yeah... well can we at least look at our schedules together, make sure we get something?"

The raven-haired boy rolled his eyes but offered a reassuring smile, "whatever makes you feel better."

Sasuke began to move back to the end of the bleachers, the air suddenly seemed so thick and he felt claustrophobic. He reemerged and quickly unzipped his gown, fanning it a few times to dissipate the heat. Naruto followed close behind and slapped him on the back with a grin before running off into the crowd.

Sasuke brought his hands to his face and pulled them down, as if the action would wipe away all signs of distress. He shook his head and moved toward the slowly thinning throng of people. A voice to his left called his name and Sasuke turned to find his brother waving him over. Wearily, he approached his family. His mother cupped his cheeks in her hands and smiled – he looked down at her and felt a small smile tug at his lips. She let go and Sasuke righted himself before turning to his father. Anybody else might have interpreted Fugaku's expression as apathetic, but Sasuke saw the tiniest hint of pride in his father's eyes; it wasn't much, but it was the most he was going to get and it was better than nothing.

* * *

Naruto's parents owned a nice piece of land on the outskirts of the city; with few neighbors to complain about some rowdy teens, it was the ideal location for a graduation party. So it was with great effort that the blond had convinced them to let him have a "few friends over". Kushina tried to argue with her husband, supplying minors with alcohol is illegal – even if you take their keys; but Minato simply shrugged and whispered something in her ear that caused her to blush. Naruto averted his eyes, God only knows what his father could be saying to elicit such a response. Whatever it was, it worked and Kushina conceded.

The night was cool but not cold, summer was fast approaching. The graduation festivities had long subsided and the official after party was now in full swing. What were once mere high school students now found themselves on the precipice of adult hood, but they couldn't be bothered to think about that now. Now was the time to let it all go – worry, anticipation, apprehension – tonight was not the night to be burdened by such heavy thoughts.

Sasuke stood on the back porch, leaning on the wooden railing, and watched the crowd that had gathered around the bonfire. He liked it right here, he could still here the music from inside – as well as his own thoughts – and watch as his friends and acquaintances milled around talking and laughing... and touching. He sighed.

"You are not nearly drunk enough," a voice called to him.

The pale boy turned and watched as Sakura approached on slightly unsteady legs. She handed him a cup and he took it willingly. She smiled and leaned against the railing – and a little on Sasuke.

"I saw you in the auditorium," she turned to face him, her cheeks were a little red – whether it was from the booze or something else, Sasuke could not be sure. He nodded and took a long drink then made a face, she laughed at him, "rum n' diet coke."

"Hn," he took another drink anyway, "it wasn't anything important."

She leaned in a little further, her sea foam eyes trying to peer into him, "maybe that is why it _is_ important."

Sasuke tried to glare at her, but he couldn't – she was drunk, philosophizing was not her going to be her strong suit at the moment. Instead he rolled his eyes and took another drink, finishing off the cup.

Sasuke turned and leaned back against the rail, "you know, he wanted to be roommates?" Sakura barked laugh at this, "yeah. I convinced him it would be better to get random roommates, you know... broaden our horizons."

She smiled and tweaked her eyebrows suggestively, "you wanna broaden _his_ horizons."

"Okay then," the dark-haired boy moved away from the rail, "always a pleasure talking with you Sakura."

"Oh, come on..." but her pleas fell on deaf ears as Sasuke walked back into the house.

A shock of yellow hair directed Sasuke to the kitchen and he leaned against the counter while the blond rummaged through the fridge.

"Hand me a beer dobe," Sasuke said coolly.

"That's not nice teme," the blond said as he shut the fridge and turned to Sasuke.

"Oh shit! Minato, sorry," Sasuke stood up straight, his head bowed slightly.

The man laughed and held out a bottle, "its fine Sasuke, here."

The pale boy looked apologetic as he took the beer, Minato twisted off the cap to his own bottle and put it to his lips. Sasuke mirrored the action nervously. He didn't like being around Naruto's father alone, he couldn't help but feel as if the man knew more than he let on – about Sasuke? About Naruto? He wasn't sure.

"So do you have plans for the summer?" Minato asked casually as he brought the bottle down.

"Uh, yeah actually. I am interning for my dad," Sasuke hated the tone in his voice, he sounded so uncertain, so weak.

"Oh? Planning on going into the family business?" the man sounded dubious.

Sasuke shifted his gaze, following the line of liquor bottles on the adjacent counter before he replied, "not particularly. I think Itachi has got the legacy covered," his eyes returned to Minato's with a renewed confidence, "I just want to prove to my father that my choices aren't as foolish as he believes. I'm going to act as an interpreter for the company, help them with deals in other countries. I've already had 4 years of Spanish, French and German and 2 years of Chinese and Russian."

Minato whistled, "you must have a very skilled tongue."

Sasuke sputtered and the blond man laughed heartily. The laughter continued until Minato brought a hand to his stomach and willed himself to stop, "ahhh," he continued with a chuckle, "seriously Sasuke, that really is quite impressive. Is that what you will be pursuing in college then?"

The raven-haired boy took a long swig of his beer while he fought down his rising blush, then with a calm voice replied, "I will get my bachelor's in business with an emphasis in cultural awareness and minor in linguistics."

"Those are some very lofty goals," Minato's tone was impressed, not condescending, "I'm sure you will make your father proud."

Sasuke nodded politely, though he honestly doubted that. Fugaku always criticized Sasuke's interest in language, thought it was a waste of his talents to focus on such things. Sasuke got the impression his father thought the whole endeavor was rather...fruity. Maybe he was just projecting, pushing his father's critiques of himself onto his goals – it hurt less that way. Nonetheless, making Fugaku proud was a long lost cause, hell even approval was a shot in the dark – Sasuke would be content to garner acceptance from his father, he could live with that.

"You know," Minato's voice drifted into the silence, the tone reminiscent, "I have often thought it was a sort of kismet that brought you and Naruto together. You are like opposite sides of the same coin. Have you ever thought that?" The man looked to Sasuke and took another drink of his beer before continuing, "you have very different personalities, but the same kind of raw determination. You are both stubborn as all hell, but have learned to pick your battles. You are of Japanese heritage but you were born in the states, where as Kushina and I met in Japan during school and even though Naruto was born there, there is no hiding his European ancestry," he looked contemplative for a moment and smiled, "well, that is just an observation. Anyway, enjoy the party."

Minato made to walk past Sasuke, but he paused and placed his hand on the pale boy's shoulder. He looked down and smiled again, that same eerie chill that always made Sasuke a little uneasy coursed through him as he looked up at the blond man. Minato lingered for a moment, patted Sasuke's shoulder and left the kitchen.

Sasuke waited a few seconds before exhaling in a shudder. He took another sip of his beer and moved in the opposite direction, out into the living room. It seemed most of the guests were at the bonfire, so Sasuke stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes. There was far to much commotion to actually fall asleep, but he felt more at ease laying there. That was until a heavy weight crashed down on his legs.

"What the fuck!" Sasuke yelled as his eyes shot open and torso flew up.

"Teme watcha doin'?" Naruto slurred as he grinned down at the dark-haired boy.

Sasuke tried in vain to pull his legs out from under the blond, "I _was _trying to relax."

Naruto scoffed, "Fuck that! You have all summer to relax, have some fun."

"No, _you_ have all summer to relax, _I_ am going to be interning," the pale boy finally managed to free himself and sat crossed legged facing the blond.

Naruto looked confused for a second, then slowly processed the statement. His eyes clearly displayed his realization, followed immediately by disappointment, "Sasuke..." he leaned in and grabbed hold of Sasuke's knees to steady himself, despite his whispered tone and drunken Japanese, Naruto's words rang in Sasuke's ear, "I'm gonna miss you."

* * *

Five countries in three months left Sasuke exhausted, but it was an experience he would never forget. He learned a lot about Uchiha Corporation; its operations and directives. And he learned a lot about Itachi; it turns out the elder Uchiha son was quite the playboy.

Airport lounges were Itachi's favorite hunting ground because, as he put it "the prey is just as predatory". There is no confusion when you meet somebody at a bar built specifically for transient guests – this affair is for one night only. Sometimes the women would come to Itachi, other times he would invite them to sit with him – but it always ended the same; his hand on her thigh while he whispered something salacious against her neck. Sasuke would just shift uncomfortably and nurse the scotch his brother regularly ordered for him.

After about a month of business trips and not-so-business late night meetings, Itachi turned his attentions to his brother, becoming the wing man Sasuke never asked him to be. New York, London, Tokyo – Itachi introduced girl after girl to his little brother and Sasuke feigned interest as he politely engaged in chit chat.

Finely, having grown irritated with his elder brother's constant pestering, Sasuke took a slightly inebriated pharmaceutical rep back to the hotel with him. She was eager and very generous and Sasuke managed to make it through the event with enough prowess to obscure the fact that it was his first time. But it wouldn't be the last. During their last international tour Sasuke had two more women.

He woke up alone in Berlin... he hadn't gone to bed alone. He sighed as he shrugged on his hotel robe and made his way to the kitchenette. He could smell coffee already brewing and knew Itachi would be sitting at the table, reading the Wall Street Journal.

Itachi smiled up at his brother as the young, disheveled Uchiha poured himself a cup of coffee, "it took some time, but I think you are finally carving yourself a nice little niche."

Sasuke only glared his response as he sat down across the table. He looked out the window, there wasn't much a view and the weather was gloomy, it reflected Sasuke's mood well. The silence was filled with the rustling of paper as Itachi turned his attention back to the Marketplace section. Sasuke noncommittally flipped through the issue of Berliner Morgenpost that sat on the table, reading only headlines and captions.

Itachi finally folded his paper and looked to his brooding brother, "what?"

Sasuke looked up, a little startled, "I didn't say anything."

The elder Uchiha pushed the paper away and put his elbows on the table, he folded his hands together and rested his chin on the interlocked fingers, "exactly."

Sasuke huffed and sat back in his chair, "this really isn't doing it for me."

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Itachi fought back a smirk but the tone in his voice betrayed his insinuation.

Sasuke pursed his lips and returned his gaze to the window, "they aren't my type."

"Well that is your own fault, you are the one picking them out after all," Itachi leaned back and stared at the ceiling as he contemplated his younger brother's conquests, "in fact, I would argue that they must be your type, as they were all the same – blond hair, blue eyes..." his eyes fell back to his younger brother and he chuckled to himself, "now that I think about it, there is something familiar about them."

Sasuke's gaze shot to his brother, _don't you fucking say it._

"I can't quite place it... blond, a little excitable, a little terse..." Itachi was toying with Sasuke, and he made no effort to hide it.

_I swear to God I will kill you!_

Itachi just watched as Sasuke's eyes slit into a cold glare – not that it had any impact on the elder Uchiha, who had mastered that look while his brother was still in diapers. He snapped his fingers in an over dramatic revelation, "got it... they are all fem Naru– hey!" Itachi began to laugh as Sasuke shot up out of his chair, nearly knocking it over, "Oh, Sasuke come back!"


	2. Weight of the Sun

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 2 AKA the first true chapter. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming - they are my lifeblood! Okay, that sounds a bit desperate... how about this: reviews make me happy, quality reviews make me the happiest, and a happy VioletWylde is a more productive VioletWylde.**

**Warnings: This chapter is squeaky clean, but don't worry - they won't be for long**

**Dislcaimer: I don't own Naruto :(**

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First semester of their sophomore year – Naruto's semester. It was starting to become a tradition since their first year, to alternate who picked the class they would share. Naruto's first choice had been Art Appreciation – that had had considerably fewer nude works and far more essays than he had hoped for – so he had to redeem himself. This semester he thought he would pick something more intriguing; and that is how, late on Monday morning, Sasuke and Naruto found themselves in Altered States of Consciousness: A Study Across Time and Cultures. The class title was more than a mouthful and if that was any indication, it was going to be a royal pain in the ass. But Naruto insisted and it was his semester to pick, besides – as he pointed out – he'd suffered through Sasuke's Philosophy class.

The room was a small auditorium and the class size measured around 80 students. Naruto and Sasuke sat about dead center as they were introduced to the material. The first half of the course they would study the scientific foundations; learning about the brain and different levels of function. The second half of the semester would be spent learning about different ways that brain function can be manipulated. It turns out, humans have learned quite a few techniques to unlock the mind: hypnotism, drugs, meditation – combinations thereof.

"See, this sounds kind of cool," the blond whispered as the syllabus was detailed.

Sasuke just heaved an annoyed sigh, "hn."

In truth, it really wasn't so bad – better than Art Appreciation anyway. The instructor seemed fairly young, or at least laid back; it was hard to tell exactly. His tone was cool and relaxed and he moved about the front of class languidly. Sasuke was amused by the man's hair, the thick silver locks seemed to subscribe to the same anti-gravity as his own.

The class was released early and as students began to pack up the instructor made one final announcement, "there is an extra credit opportunity available for those interested. It is worth a full letter grade," most of the remaining students halted their activities, "it won't be an easy grade, but if you are interested visit with the grad student upstairs in 304."

"What is the assignment?" a girl near the door called out.

There was no reply, simply a shrug as the professor finished packing up his papers. Sasuke walked out the door and turned to head towards the exit when he felt a tug on his bag. He paused and looked back to see Naruto nodding towards the stairs.

"What?" Sasuke wasn't really as irritated as he tried to sound.

"Extra credit!" Naruto grinned.

"Why would you care about extra credit dobe? You are a 'C' student at best?" Sasuke's tone was more amused.

Naruto glared at an insult, but the expression quickly turned to mischievous grin as he spoke, "a full fucking letter grade means I can slack off... more."

Sasuke could only roll his eyes at that, leave it to Naruto to turn extra credit into a way to be lazy. Another couple tugs on the strap around his back finally persuaded Sasuke to turn around. He followed the blond up the stairs to the third floor and found the door to 304 open.

Two men in the room quickly finished there conversation as Naruto rapped on the door frame. The man closest to the door had to be the graduate student; he was in his mid twenties, wore his brown hair in a high ponytail and had a birthmark that ran from cheek to cheek across the bridge of his nose. The man behind the desk looked like your typical eccentric professor – the kind that got tenure and then stopped caring; he was in his fifties with long, shaggy, stark white hair. The older man leaned back in his chair and gestured for the two boys to enter.

"We're from Professor Hatake's class. He said there is an extra credit assignment available."

"Kakashi's students?" the younger of the two men asked as he looked over the two boys, his eyes were warm yet critical as he stared. The brunet looked back to the other man who pursed his lips and shrugged.

"Shut the door," the young man said and moved to a file cabinet across the room.

Naruto looked back to Sasuke who returned the puzzled expression with that of his own and pushed the door closed. Sasuke moved to Naruto's side and watched as the brunet pulled a thick folder out from the file cabinet. He thumbed through the papers and pulled out a small selection before setting the file on the desk behind him.

"I am conducting a study about the various methods of inducing altered states of consciousness. That could be exploring the subconscious or experiencing consciousness through a different lens... so to speak," he handed a packet of papers to each boy, "if you choose to participate in this experiment you will be asked to subject yourselves to three different techniques for achieving an altered state. You will have to keep a video record of each event and keep a detailed journal about the experiences. You will only receive your credit after I have examined your reports."

The two boys exchanged weary glances, it didn't seem so hard – why did the man speak with such a serious tone? There had to be a catch.

"On the first page you will find a list of the approved methods, these are the only applicable techniques to be used. You will notice there are no drugs, illicit or otherwise," he paused and allowed the boys time to skim the list, "after each experiment you will also be asked to come back here and receive an evaluation. This is for your own benefit, if it is determined that you are not able to handle the experiments, either physically or mentally, you will be asked to stop and you will not receive any extra credit."

Naruto's brow furrowed, "what could we do that would hurt us?"

The brunet smiled, though it wasn't very reassuring, "technically there is nothing on that list that _should_ harm you. However, it takes a certain amount of... spiritual strength... to endure repeated sessions. If your mind is not up to the task, your body will be affected."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, _bunch of new age bullshit_.

The older man got up from his chair and walked to the door, he spoke as he opened it, "its not for everybody. Think about it. If you want to participate, sign the waivers on the last page and get back to us by the end of the week."

Sasuke nodded and walked out, Naruto followed slowly and offered his thanks. The blond was abnormally quiet as they walked down the hall, he appeared deep in thought.

"Don't hurt yourself," Sasuke teased as the moved down the stairwell.

Naruto snapped out of his ruminations at the sound of Sasuke's voice, "that was kind of weird," Sasuke grunted in agreement, "I think we should do it."

"Why?" the pale boy scoffed, "you're not that hard up for grades are you?"

"No. Its just..." Naruto paused as he leaned into the exit door until the latch gave way and he tumbled outside, "I dunno, it seems kinda cool."

Sasuke walked across the threshold while Naruto held the door for him, "it _seems_... like a waste of time."

"Are you afraid of what we will find in that emo brain of yours?" the blond reached out and ruffled Sasuke's jet black locks.

The pale boy shot Naruto a nasty glare that had him quickly retracting his hand, _you have no idea_.

* * *

Sasuke sat in silence, his head resting on the pedestal his hands created as he leaned over his desk and waited for his Ethics class to begin. With a little more effort, his hard gaze may have been able to bore holes right through the far wall.

Neji didn't even notice the expression on the pale boy's face as he took the seat next to him, "Sasuke," he offered a simple greeting. When he received no reply he looked over and with more force spoke again, "Uchiha."

Sasuke seemed only slightly rattled as he lifted his head and blinked himself out of his reverie. He turned to his classmate and regarded him for a moment before replying, "hey, Neji."

The raven-haired boy spoke with obvious distance in his voice, it matched the look in his dark eyes. Neji stared for a moment, considering Sasuke's mood and decided to go about preparing for the lecture rather than questioning the brooding boy. The brunet pulled out his notebook and a pencil and stopped when heard a sharp inhale, he turned and waited for Sasuke to speak.

"Do you think it is irrational to be afraid of your own thoughts?" Sasuke regarded Neji from his periphery.

_So that is the mood today_, Neji thought as his crystalline eyes scrutinized the pale boy. His cool gaze did not falter as he replied, "yes," he paused for a moment, "but I think it is natural too. People have convictions and preconceptions and they don't want to be surprised by how their thoughts can betray them."

There was a lingering silence after Neji's response that he interpreted to mean the conversation was over. He turned his attention back to his bag and continued to pull out his books. Sasuke was inwardly grateful that Neji did not press him further. This was why the raven-haired boy liked him, or tolerated him at least – he didn't pry. Whether Neji was keenly perceptive or simply apathetic didn't matter to Sasuke, the important thing was that he gave the pale boy his distance.

Sasuke wouldn't be so lucky in his next class – he shared Statistics with Sakura. Unfortunately Sasuke didn't know the pink-haired girl was enrolled in the class until it was too late; if he had, he would have picked a seat with a more strategic position. She took the desk next to the pale boy and cheerfully greeted him, he responded – though with considerably less enthusiasm.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" Sakura queried halfheartedly, she didn't really expect a reply. Sasuke huffed, it was enough to encourage her to press further, "lovers' quarrel?"

Sasuke turned to her, "did it ever occur to you that I might actually talk to you if you weren't such a bitch?"

Sakura was visibly offended by the venomous response. Her sea foam eyes quickly shifted from hurt to insulted, "you are one to talk. You're bigger bitch than any girl I know."

She immediately regretted her words, but how long can you support somebody who dwells on unrequited love? As it stood, they were going on four years – three of which Sakura had been privy to. It wasn't like Sasuke came to her with his problems, she had pieced it together over the course of their Junior year in high school. It hadn't been easy to coax little bits of information out him, but he was clearly upset by _something_ and Sakura made it her mission to find out what and help where she could. Unfortunately, with the exception of a few insights, she was more of an intrusion than a confidant.

Sakura reached out to Sasuke and he recoiled from her touch. She spoke softly, trying to make up the lost ground, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You know I am always here to talk... if you want."

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow and ran his onyx eyes over her features – she may be annoying, but she did care and that had to be worth something. He blinked languidly, barely concealing a reflexive eye roll, and nodded.

They didn't speak, they scarcely looked at each other, throughout the class. As they packed up Sakura offered a small smile to the pale boy and moved to the door. She jumped at the sound of Sasuke's voice behind her as they exited the class room.

"Have you ever watched a sunset and thought 'God that is so beautiful' and wished you could just stay in that twilight forever. But you let it go because you know there will be another one tomorrow," she stopped to regard the raven-haired boy as he spoke, "what do you think the Sun would do if you told it how beautiful it was, how much you enjoyed watching it? Would it pull you into a warm embrace and allow you to bask in it forever? Or would it become offended that you have regarded it for so long and never bothered to let it know how you feel - would the Sun disappear?" Sasuke's expression was deep, nigh unreadable, "Could you risk going the rest of your life without the warmth of the Sun? Or would you continue to watch it in silence?"

Sasuke peered into Sakura's emerald eyes, searching them for her response. She just stared back, shocked. Sasuke never spoke so eloquently before – certainly never with such conviction. Is that how he truly felt about Naruto? It was somehow so much deeper and more passionate than Sakura could have imagined. Then again, four years of pining could probably turn anybody into a poet.

Sakura carefully crafted her response, "what if the Sun burns out before you ever had a chance to tell it how much you loved it? Could you live the rest of your life in darkness, never knowing how the Sun felt about you?"

"Hn," Sasuke gave his patented monosyllabic response and began to walk away.

Sakura followed, a few steps behind, just in case he felt like expanding on his thoughts. He didn't, but it was comforting to know that she was there.

He continued to explore that train of thought over the next two days. He put it down during lecture and picked it up again as he walked between buildings. He didn't like the weight of it, the concept seemed to crush him as he examined it. _It shouldn't be this hard_.

The plain truth was that this had gone on for too long, perhaps he had missed his opportunity to confess his feelings. Is that possible? Does love have an expiration date if it isn't expressed? _Goddamn this is depressing_. With that thought he pushed it all back, he had dwelt on it enough.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was a lot of plot building... I hope you enjoyed it. Still a few characters to be introduced yet, with varying levels of importance. Stay tuned!**


	3. Preparation H

**A/N: Hello, hello! Thank you for the wonderful reviews, I am glad to hear everybody is enjoying the fic so far. Special shout out to angelhitomie for the incredibly detailed critiques - you may see a little somethin somethin in here for you. **

**Warnings: Clean chapter. If you squint and turn your head you may see a microscopic hint of boyxboy... but really, does that even count?**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever owned Naruto.

* * *

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Lunchtime Wednesday and Sasuke had finally managed to lift the angsty cloud that had been hovering over him since Monday. His thoughts had weighed on him heavily and he was becoming so tired of this constant internal conflict. Perhaps a little self discovery was what Sasuke needed; a chance to look at his relationship with Naruto through a "new lens" as the grad student had put it. He felt better once he had decided to go through with the experiment.

Naruto sat across from the raven-haired boy, a thin facade of nonchalance covering his excited eyes. Anxiety was seeping out from under the mask as he stared at Sasuke, who only stared back with unreadable onyx orbs.

"I've been thinking about the extra credit project," Sasuke stated with a bored tone.

Naruto's eyes widened, a grin threatening to split his face in two, "yeah...and?"

Sasuke shrugged, "nothing, I've just been thinking about it."

The blond growled, "Teme! Do you want to do it or not!"

The pale boy snickered, _oh I want to do it_. Sasuke shook his head noncommittally, "maybe."

Watching Naruto squirm brought a sick pleasure to Sasuke – in fact, the only pleasure he'd received in the last two days had been the result of teasing the blond. He knew Naruto wouldn't do the extra credit without him. Sasuke wasn't sure why Naruto insisted they do these things together, but it he wouldn't deny it made him happy.

This same sort of thing had happened during Art Appreciation – an extra credit opportunity that required students to go to an exhibit and write a minimum three page report. Naruto had begged Sasuke, literally fell to his knees and begged the raven-haired boy. The Modern Art Museum had an exhibit titled "Skin" – it was everything Naruto had hoped that class would be.

The day before the exhibit was scheduled to close Sasuke finally agreed to go. It really had been an amazing show – pieces from movements as far back as the renaissance (sure some of them were reproductions) and all around the world. The concept was well executed, or so Sasuke had written in his essay. It had been hard to get Naruto to appreciate the art beyond the nakedness, but after some time Sasuke convinced the blond the beauty wasn't in the body – it was in the brush strokes and use of light. It was in the parts you didn't see just as much as in those you did. Watching Naruto transition from a gawking pervert to a contemplative observer was worth every frustrating minute.

So here they sat – new class, same game. Sasuke waited a few more tics before getting up to throw out his trash. When he turned back to the table he was shocked to find Naruto standing right in front of him. The blond was never very stealthy, how he had managed to sneak up on Sasuke was almost a surprising as his proximity. With as much control as he could muster, the raven-haired boy brought his hand to Naruto's chest and pushed him back. His fingertips screamed to hold on, they itched to linger – but Sasuke pulled them back. He slipped out his tongue to quickly swipe across his lips before smirking at the anxious blond.

"Come on," Sasuke instructed as he moved to pick up his bag.

They made their way across the campus, a light breeze rustled the leaves on the branches that hung over the walkway. Sasuke inhaled deeply, the scent of cut grass mingled with a familiar musk. He spared a glance over to Naruto, the boy had such a unique scent – it was fresh and deep, it reminded Sasuke of moss. Kind of a strange thing, but it was the only way he could describe it; cool and dense – not quite rain, it was more earthy. He cleared his throat, partly to pull himself out his thoughts but also to garner the blond's attention.

Once Naruto had turned his gaze to the pale boy, Sasuke spoke, "you got your waiver?" the blond nodded excitedly, "fine then."

With those indifferent words Sasuke turned and headed toward the three story building that housed their Altered States class. He held the door open and followed Naruto up the stairs to room 304.

The grad student sat alone, hunched over a stack of papers. This time it was Sasuke who knocked on the door, he waited for acknowledgment before entering.

"You two again?" the brunet sat up in his chair.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the blond announced before clapping his hands on his companions shoulder, "Sasuke Uchiha."

The grad student stood and moved to the boys with a smile, "Iruka Umino," he offered a firm handshake to each student and gestured for them to take a seat on the couch that lined the wall, "so you think you are up for this?"

Their responses spoke volumes about each boy. Naruto nodded, eyes lit with excitement, whereas Sasuke looked unimpressed if not a little irritated. This was good for Iruka, to have two individuals with a huge gap in interest participate in the same activities. If somebody as distant and shut out as Sasuke could achieve the same level of awareness as Naruto who was so obviously open, it would make for a very interesting case study.

Iruka smiled again, "have you thought about which methods you would like to use?"

Sasuke looked down at his packet, "I haven't really-"

"I definitely want to do hypnotism and the sweat lodge!" Naruto nearly shouted, barely able to contain his enthusiasm.

Iruka nodded in response, "both good choices, but for the sweat lodge you will have to get in contact with somebody on a reservation."

Naruto waved his hand dismissively, "not a problem."

Iruka turned to Sasuke as he spoke, "well, if you have no preferences, I would suggest..." he paused in consideration, "sleep deprivation or fasting."

"Fuck fasting," Naruto scoffed.

Sasuke knocked his knee against the blond's and gave a disapproving glare, Naruto offered an apologetic smile. Shaking his head Sasuke turned to Iruka, "sleep deprivation it is."

"Excellent," Iruka clapped his hands and stood up, "fill out the back page and I will go grab your supplies."

Sasuke flipped to the last page that detailed the experiment's agreement. It was just as Iruka had described it on Monday – three experiments to be done no less than 1 month apart with the final reports due back no later than December 15th. The two boys initialed the boxes where they agreed to complete journals throughout the length of the experiment and where they would return for an evaluation after each method. Finally they signed at the bottom of the contract which stated in plain language that the university could not be held liable for any damages or health issues as a result of the experiment and that their extra credit would be judged based on the value of their reports with no guarantee that completion of the experiment would garner the increased grade. It all seemed like more trouble than it was worth to Sasuke, but he couldn't turn back now.

Iruka returned and handed each boy a small hand held camera and composition notebook, "I encourage you to take this seriously if you want your grade. Oh and you will need this as well," he handed them each a folder, "instructions for the specific methods you have chosen."

* * *

They returned to the student union, Naruto was done with his classes for the day and Sasuke still had 20 minutes before Statistics. The blond eagerly thumbed through the instructions for the experiments. He furrowed his brow and looked up to Sasuke, who leisurely raised an eyebrow in response.

"It says only one of us gets to be hypnotized, the other one asks the questions," Naruto stated with a curious tone.

"So? Which do you want to do?" the raven-haired boy replied with indifference.

The blond looked pensive, "I think I wanna be hypnotized."

Sasuke shrugged, "fine by me."

Truthfully he was relieved, the idea of Naruto fumbling around in his brain was disturbing. God only knows what he would break in there, not to mention what he might dig up. Sasuke gave a little grunt as he read further.

"What?" the blond queried.

"It says you are 'discouraged' from using post-hypnotic suggestions... but it doesn't say that you can't," Sasuke looked to Naruto with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Post-hypnotic what now?" Naruto looked thoroughly confused.

Sasuke snorted, "dobe, only you to agree to something with no idea what could happen," the blond huffed, "a post-hypnotic suggestion is like planting a seed in somebodies mind. You can make them do something without their knowledge. For example I could make you... bark like a dog every time you hear a bell ring."

Naruto scoffed, "the fuck you can," Sasuke shrugged, a devilish smirk began to tug at the corner of his mouth, "fuck you teme! No way you are gonna make me act like an idiot."

"Don't worry Naruto," he paused and his smirk grew wider, "you can do that all on your own."

* * *

The air around Sasuke was much lighter than it had been during their last meeting and Sakura was relieved when he looked up at her with little aggravation.

"You are in a better mood today," she observed as she took a seat in front of him, she turned in her chair to face him, "what brought this about?"

Sasuke pursed his lips and shrugged. The pink-haired girl did not waver, she kept her eyes trained on him until he finally spoke, "I think I have a rare opportunity coming up."

She cocked her head to the side, "what's that?"

"This stupid extra credit assignment Naruto has us doing..." he paused and his voice took on a devious tone, "I think I am going to learn a lot about the dobe."

Sakura squinted, trying to read Sasuke's expressionless eyes, "I thought the idea was that you were supposed to learn things about yourself. You know, open your mind and all that jazz," he looked at her with surprise, "what? I'm friends with Naruto too. He has been going on about it for the last 48 hours."

"Yeah, well," he smirked, "I am less concerned about opening my mind and more interested in opening his."

The pink-haired girl sighed and scanned the ceiling before returning her emerald eyes to Sasuke's, "I shouldn't be surprised, but frankly Sasuke," she paused until she was sure she had his attention, "I really think you should take advantage of this chance to do a little soul searching. At least, I am pretty sure you have a soul..." she poked him in the chest, "somewhere deep, deep down there."

She laughed and he shot her an icy glare. Sakura feigned an apology and turned around to face the front of the class. Throughout the lecture she could here the light rapping of pencil on paper and she smiled to herself – she had at least got him thinking about it.

* * *

"Professor!" Naruto took the steps to the bottom of the auditorium two at a time, "have you got a second?"

The silver-haired man stopped packing up to acknowledge his student, "Naruto," he turned his attention back to his bag, "Iruka told me you and Sasuke are doing the extra credit project."

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," the blond positioned himself in front of his teacher, "We are going to try hypnotism tomorrow and I wanted to know if you had any tips on...like, knocking a person out or whatever."

Kakashi chuckled and snapped his satchel closed, "Inducing hypnosis is not as easy as it seems in the movies. The person going under needs to be able to stay focused and the person initiating the state must be soothing. Trust is often very important in creating a strong hypnotic state. Which one of you will be going under?"

"I will," the blond stated proudly.

The silver-haired man hummed as if considering the idea, "you will want to create a tranquil environment, something relaxing that will put your mind at ease. To help induce the state many people use an object like a pendant or candle – it gives the participant something to focus on, then you just count them out. It is important to take your time, don't rush it. And you'll want to be counted awake too, it will make the transition more therapeutic – instead of just snapping back."

Naruto nodded, "okay...yeah, I think we can do that. Thanks."

The blond turned to leave the class, once again taking the stairs two at a time. About half way up he heard Kakashi's voice, "Oh and Naruto," the student turned to face his professor, who wore a disconcerting half smile, "good luck."

* * *

Naruto threw his shopping bag into his closet and sighed as he fell unceremoniously onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes, running through a mental check list. The blond had just returned from the store with what he hoped would be all the necessary provisions for the upcoming experiment, he was pretty sure he had everything they would need. Now it was just a matter of location. He called out to his dorm mate who was laying silently on his own bed across the room.

Naruto looked over to see Kiba laying with his eyes closed, hands under his pillow, headphones secured to his slightly bobbing head. _Typical_. Kiba practically lived with headphones on. They had been roommates freshman year and got along well enough they decided to room together again this year; and it seemed the guy could not stand to be alone with his thoughts, he always had to have music playing. He often walked around with one ear bud in, Naruto had likened it to having a real life soundtrack playing all the time.

The blond fished an empty water bottle up from the floor and chucked it at the brunet. The bottle hit him square in the chest; startled, Kiba threw his arms out and succeeded in smacking the bottle into his face. Naruto barked a laugh and moved to sit at the edge of his bed.

"What the hell?" Kiba exclaimed as he tore off his headset.

Naruto could hear a steady percussion before Kiba turned his stereo off, "its your own fault for listening to that shit so loud. Anyway, I wanted to know if you could make yourself scarce tomorrow night."

Kiba tweaked an eyebrow up, "you got a hot date?"

"Sasuke is gonna be coming over," Naruto replied with masked hostility.

The brunet shifted his gaze for a moment, then smirked, "so... you got a hot date?"

Naruto could feel his cheeks warm, if only a slightly, and he narrowed his eyes, "it's for our extra credit project."

"Ahh, _right_," Kiba gave an exaggerated nod, "you two need some alone time to _experiment_."

Naruto got to his feet, "fuck off Kiba."

There was no venom in his tone, and Kiba knew he could still get in a few jabs before the blond truly got pissed, "hey isn't that what college is for anyway?" He was still smiling when a fist made firm contact with his arm, "are you two gonna switch it up, or his he gonna do you all ni–ow! OW...okay...God damn."

Naruto landed a hook in Kiba's torso and pinned him halfway on his bed; straddling his chest while his legs dangled off the side. The blond ceased his assault and sat up in victory, resting his ass on Kiba's lower abdomen. They often fought like this, it was as if there was something pent up that could only be relieved by beating the shit out of each other. Kiba often provoked and Naruto always responded with the same half-pulled punches.

Despite the compromising position the brunet couldn't help making one last observation, "you have to admit... you are kinda queer for him."

Kiba closed his eyes and braced himself for a punch to the face, but it never came. He felt the weight lift off of him as Naruto returned his feet to the floor and took a few steps back. Kiba cracked an eye open and lifted his torso up from the mattress, he brought his focus to Naruto's face. There was something strange in his cobalt eyes, it was deep and contemplative – but not new, this thought was resurfacing.

"Naruto?"

And in a blink it was gone, replaced with a teasing expression. The blond grinned at his roommate and slammed his fist into Kiba's shoulder. The brunet absorbed the punch, allowing his shoulder to be thrown back.

Kiba squinted slightly and after a moment decided to drop it. He punched the blond back and nodded toward the door, "dinner?"

Naruto nodded and grabbed his keys and wallet as he was ushered out. Kiba locked up behind him and the two walked down the hall in a silence that bordered on awkward. A ruckus on the second floor lightened the mood and by the time they were outside, the two boys were talking and laughing like nothing had happened. Maybe nothing had, maybe Kiba was reading too much into Naruto's expression. But the image of those eyes persisted, like a little thorn in Kiba's mind.

* * *

**A/N: So that was the last of the plot establishing chapters. Next up, we start to get into the meat of this fic. Oh and regarding the chapter title (in case you were wondering), it was originally going to be "Preparations" but it sort of evolved. The H is for hypnotism... get it. XP **


	4. Deep Peace

**A/N: So, if you haven't already noticed... FFN is having a fit lately. So I intended to post chapter 3 on Sunday but wasn't able to do it until late on Monday and I think the alert system wasn't working because I didn't even get the alert until yesterday. But I have a posting schedule to keep so you lucky readers are going to get chapter 4 early... sort of. That being said, thanks for the reviews and please keep them coming! I absolutely love my reader - you are all so supportive and dedicated and I appreciate your feedback! I hope you enjoy!**

**Warnings: Pretty clean chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I wish I could sat I owned Naruto, but I don't want to be sued.**

* * *

The sun was setting, bathing the city in golden rays; it added a perfect ambiance to Naruto's room as he prepared for the experiment. A knock at the door had the blond smiling, he opened it and ushered Sasuke inside, flipping the lock behind him.

Sasuke took in the transformed room with awe. Where there was normally trash and dirty clothes everything now appeared tidy. The room even smelled different, not the light musk you would expect from a room occupied by two male college students – the scent was floral, maybe jasmine? Cautiously the pale boy moved further into the room, it had the same layout as his own one floor up. A wall separated the entry from the beds, which were positioned in either corner of the far perimeter. On the entry side the wall had two desks, on the other side it served as their closets. Sasuke peered around the wall and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Naruto's bed; it was covered in pillows and surrounded by candles.

The raven-haired boy turned to Naruto, who admired the setting with pride, "what do you think?"

Sasuke blinked and replaced his look of surprise with a teasing smirk, "are you planning on getting hypnotized or getting laid?"

"Fuck you teme," Naruto shoved the pale boy aside as he moved to the stereo, "Kakashi said I needed to make the atmosphere relaxing." With the push of a few buttons soft instrumentals began to fill the room.

Sasuke snorted, "is that whale songs?"

Naruto shot the pale boy a glare and turned on the video camera which stood on a tripod next to the bed.

"Oh this is just _so_ wrong," Sasuke mumbled as he wiped a hand down his face.

Naruto climbed onto his bed and settled against a pile of pillows, sitting cross legged, "okay now you sit there," he pointed to a chair positioned a few feet in front of the bed, "and hold that candle."

"What the fuck for?" Sasuke followed the command despite his arguments.

Naruto shook out his arms and stretched his neck, "I am going to concentrate on the candle while you count me out. I printed out some things you can say if you need them."

Sasuke grabbed the paper with his cues and held the shallow candle in lap, "you ready?" Naruto nodded and brought his gaze to the candle's flame. Sasuke took a few calming breaths before he spoke, "alright. One, feel yourself relax... breathe deep... all your tension is leaving your muscles... relax... focus on the flame... two, breathe deeper... relax... watch the flame..." Naruto's eyes began to glaze, "you are falling into a deep peace... three, breathe deeper... see the flame... relax... every word I say will put you deeper into that peaceful state... four, deeper... deeper and faster into that peace... deeper and faster... deeper... faster..." Sasuke's voice began to quiver, _who the fuck wrote this?_ His mouth was suddenly too dry, "deeper and faster... five, you are now in a deep peace... you will stay there until I bring you out... Naruto can you feel the peace?"

Naruto stared through hazy eyes for a moment before speaking, "I...I need you to move the candle," the blond looked up, completely lucid, "sorry I am just sitting here staring at your crotch."

Sasuke looked down at the candle and shot a glare up at the blond. He moved the candle to his knee, "better?"

Naruto gave a sheepish grin and shook himself out again. Sasuke closed his eyes and willed _himself_ to relax before starting the induction mantra over. And over... and over. Naruto could not be put under, he came close the third time but he wasn't able to reach the final state.

Frustrated, in more ways than one, Sasuke finally convinced the blond to switch. It seemed even less likely that the skeptical and now irritated Uchiha would succumb to hypnosis, but it was clear that Naruto did not have the focus.

It was getting dark outside and the room was dim save for the candles that flickered around the bed. The soft yellow glow danced along the pillows, casting gently shifting shadows on the wall. Sasuke sat on the bed and crossed his legs, letting his hands rest on his knees. He looked at Naruto for a moment before closing his eyes, the image was etched into his retinas – the way the candlelight brought out the depth of those azure orbs and highlighted his messy blond spikes. Sasuke took several deep breaths before nodding.

Naruto spoke softly, almost breathy, "one, let your feet relax... and your legs relax... feel your hips relaxing... and your waist relaxing... two, your chest relaxing... your arms relaxing... your shoulders relaxing... and your neck and head relaxing... three, feel your entire body relaxing... all over... you can feel yourself relaxing now... a heavy, relaxed feeling is coming over you... stronger and stronger... four, you are entering a deep peace... deeper and deeper... five, you are now completely relaxed... in a state of deep peace... you will go deeper and deeper... as deep as you want... until I bring you out," Sasuke released a shaky breath and Naruto peered into his face, but saw no change – he did indeed look peaceful, "Sasuke, can you feel that deep peace?"

To Naruto's surprise the raven-haired boy nodded. The blond shifted in his chair and began to rack his brain for questions, he hadn't prepared for this.

"Describe this peace, what does it feel like?" Naruto queried.

"It's warm and..." Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly as he searched for words, "tight... it smells like moss."

Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow at the response, "this deep peace is a place... describe where you are."

Sasuke's eyes shifted behind the lids, as if he was searching the space for features, "I'm in a room. It has a high ceiling and exposed rafters, hard wood floors. One wall is white and red, another one is covered in... faces."

Naruto cocked his head, "is there a bed in this room?" Sasuke nodded, "what does it look like?"

"hideous... orange and white," Sasuke twirled his finger around in the air.

A light laugh escaped Naruto's lips – Sasuke always had hated his orange bed spread with the white spiral set dead center. It was strange that Sasuke's peaceful place would be Naruto's bedroom – strange yet pleasing.

"The white and red wall, it is a Japanese flag hanging next to the bed," Sasuke appeared to squint a little, then nodded, "and the wall covered in faces – its a collage of posters," the pale boy nodded again, "left of the bed there is a bookshelf, go to it and find a thick leather bound photo album."

After a moment Sasuke affirmed, "I found it."

"Good job Sasuke," Naruto leaned forward as he spoke, "now this photo album is your mind, each page is filled with your thoughts and memories. It is safe to look at these pictures because you are in your peaceful place... nothing can hurt you here."

Sasuke hesitated, then nodded. His fingers twitched, mimicking the action of flipping through pages.

"What do you see? Family or friends?"

The raven-haired boy smiled slightly, "my brother when I was young. He is showing me how to build a fire... my dad is mad because we are burning circles into the lawn... Itachi takes the blame and my dad isn't so mad anymore," Sasuke's smile faltered and his fingers twitched again as he turned the page in his mind, "there's Naruto," the smile returned, "he is trying to do back flips off the diving board at school... he does more belly flops," a few more twitches of his fingers, "it's Itachi's college graduation party. He is going to be leaving tomorrow to start working for the company... its my last time to talk to him before he goes... my last chance to tell him that I... that I think I'm..." Sasuke whimpers lightly, "I can't do it."

"Its okay Sasuke," Naruto's voice was soothing and Sasuke's posture returned to a relaxed slouch, "let's put the photo album back. Now we can just talk."

"Okay."

"Remember where you are. You are in your peaceful place... nothing can hurt you here," Naruto leaned back in his chair and with a more casual tone asked, "what is something you like to do that nobody knows about... like a guilty pleasure?" A smirk crept across pale lips, one eyebrow arching, "mind out of the gutter Sasuke," the blond chided.

Sasuke's expression fell into a pout, "I write sometimes... in French. I like the way it sounds, even if what I write is stupid... it sounds pleasant."

Naruto perked up, he had no idea that Sasuke wrote, _this hypnotism shit my be legit_. He thought for a moment, "what is your favorite language?"

Sasuke didn't miss a beat, "Japanese."

"Why?" Naruto sounded genuinely confused, all the languages Sasuke had learned and his favorite was one of his native tongues.

Sasuke shrugged, "it's special..."

Naruto thought for a moment and decided to get a little more personal, "Sasuke, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

It was something Naruto had wondered for a long time; it seemed that in the near decade they had known each other, Sasuke had never been in a relationship. Naruto himself didn't have much of a track record, but he played the field some – Sasuke never once showed any interest... in _anybody_.

The dark-haired boy tensed for a moment, "never felt right."

_Never felt right? What the hell does that mean? Never felt right being in a relationship or... being with a girl._ Naruto swallowed discreetly, his voice cracked from his dry mouth, "is there anybody that _does_ interest you?"

Sasuke pursed his lips, "yes."

"Why don't you make a move?" Naruto's voice was slightly less strangled.

"I'm afraid. Maybe they don't feel the same... I don't want to... lose them."

Naruto noticed the use of nondescript pronouns. Despite being hypnotized, Sasuke still managed to be vague, "Sasuke you know you are in a safe place. You don't have to be afraid here," the raven-haired boy gave no reply, "Sasuke I am going to tell you a secret," the pale boy perked up at this, cocking is head to side, "you don't need to be afraid anymore. When you wake up, you are going to leave those fears in this room. In fact, lets lock those fears up. Go to the desk next to the window, in the bottom drawer you will find a journal with a lock and key," Naruto paused, "you find the journal?" Sasuke nodded, "open it up and write down who you are afraid might reject you, what you fear might happen," there was a long silence as Sasuke wrote in the journal, his fingers once again mimicking the action.

Minutes passed and finally Sasuke spoke, "done."

Naruto smiled, "okay, now lock the journal and hide the key somewhere in the room. Don't tell me where, you are the only one who will know where the key is," Sasuke's eyes once again shifted under the lids, "once the key is hidden, those fears cannot get out. Do you understand Sasuke? They won't be able to hurt you once you are awake."

"It's hidden," the pale boy spoke triumphantly.

"Good. Now I am going to start to count backwards from five... as I count you are going to wake up, when I get to one you will be awake and feel lighter... Five, because you have locked away your fears here... four, you are starting to wake up... you don't have to carry those burdens anymore... three, more awake now... you feel relief... you can finally act without fear... two, almost awake... you are going to do the things you used to be afraid of... and one, Sasuke you are now completely awake."

Blearily Sasuke opened his eyes, blinking several times to gain focus in the dark room. Naruto got up and stopped the video camera, he wore a curious grin.

"H-how'd I do?" Sasuke asked tentatively, unsure of that expression.

Naruto moved to the lights and flipped the switch, they both blinked rapidly until their eyes adjusted, "good I think. Do you remember any of it?"

Sasuke laid back on the pile of pillow behind him, "not... really. It is sort of like afterimages. I remember Itachi and... you. What did I say?"

Naruto shrugged, "I don't think I am supposed to tell you everything, sort of defeats the purpose right?" Sasuke sat up and sent a glare to the blond, "what? Okay, umm... you talked about a couple memories – no big deal. You told me a little about what languages you like... it was all pretty tame. Jeez, you'd think you were a serial killer or something, what do you have to hide?"

Sasuke sighed, _no big deal, okay_, "I'm less worried about deep dark secrets and more worried about you tinkering around in my mind."

Naruto shrugged, that strange grin tugged at his lips again, "how do you feel?"

Sasuke took a moment to consider the question seriously before answering, "I feel... good."

"Okay then, see... no damage done," the grin broke into a full smile as Naruto moved around the room blowing out candles.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel the blond was leaving something out, he seemed too _satisfied_. Sasuke let the feeling go, it didn't seem worth fretting over.

Naruto moved to his desk and opened up the composition notebook Iruka had given them, "we should write everything down while it is still fresh," Sasuke nodded in agreement, "then we can hit the cafeteria – its Italian buffet tonight."

* * *

**A/N: Dun dun DUN! The first casualty of these experiments. How will Sasuke respond to Naruto's suggestions? Stay tuned! XD**


	5. All You Can Eat

**A/N: Hello to all my faithful readers! I would like to thank you once again for the reviews! I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the fic and please know that death threats are not necessary, I can promise you this fic will be written to completion. This is a bit of a short chapter, but remember - quality, not quantity. **

**Warnings: Definitely the most suggestive chapter by far... and it will only get better from here.**

**Disclaimer: I wish I could make money off of these fics, then I wouldn't have to work and I could spend all my time providing my spectacular audience with all the delicious yaoi goodness they could take. But I don't, so I can't.**

* * *

_Naruto loves noodles_. It was the only possible explanation Sasuke could think of for the blond's eating habits. It didn't matter what ethnicity the food was, if there were noodles involved – he ate it. _Is it the slurping?_ Maybe he got a kick out of making noises while he ate. _Is it the twirling? _Not likely, he didn't get to twirl his noodles when he was eating with chop sticks – and ramen was by far his noodle of choice.

Regardless of the reason, Italian buffet at the cafeteria meant one thing to the blond – all you can eat spaghetti. Sasuke watched with a mixture of fascination and disgust as Naruto shoved the last of his third serving into his mouth. Sasuke himself sampled small portions of a few different dishes before settling on gnocchi, but his serving size was minute compared to the blond.

Naruto prattled on about one of his classes, Sasuke had no idea which one – he wasn't really paying attention. Something felt off, he couldn't put his finger on it – but there was definitely something. It wasn't physical, he didn't feel ill. It was actually kind of nice, he felt... less stressed, less burdened. Nothing had changed, he still had the same issues he always did – school, family, Naruto. _No... not Naruto_. The blond was still a subject of consideration, but the emotional turmoil that normally accompanied thoughts of him... Sasuke didn't feel that anymore. The feelings of adoration and desire were still very present, but the apprehension was gone. _That should be terrifying_. But he was oddly calm.

"Oi, Sasuke!," Naruto's voice pulled him from his ruminations, "are you listening to me?"

"No," Sasuke deadpanned.

Naruto huffed and pushed his plate away as he slouched in his chair. His tantrum succeeded in garnering the pale boy's attention, he stared at the blond for a moment before softly chuckling.

"What teme?" Naruto scooted down more in his seat.

"You have sauce," Sasuke pointed to the corner of his mouth.

Naruto sat up and ran his tongue along his lips, flicking it against whatever skin he could find.

"Other side."

Once again the slick pink muscle rolled along his lips and tanned skin, but the sauce remained just out of reach, "did I get it?" Sasuke shook his head, still laughing at the blond, "dammit teme, where is it?"

Without hesitation Sasuke leaned across the table. He reached out and extended his slender fingers to the blond's face. His pale index finger lingered against the skin for a moment before swiping down. Sasuke brought his hand back, a smear of red sauce coating the pad of his finger. He examined it for a moment and then, placed the digit in his mouth. Onyx eyes slowly traveled up to meet with Naruto's as he sucked the tip of his finger clean. You would have thought Sasuke was sucking on _Naruto's_ finger with the look of shock that filled his azure eyes. It didn't have to be perceived as an intimate gesture, it could have just been one friend wiping sauce off another friends face – but it wasn't. There was no denying how thick the air had become, how intensely Sasuke's eyes had focused on Naruto's.

"Sasuke... what...?" Naruto's voice cracked softly from his throat.

Sasuke's heart was racing, a sudden surge of adrenaline caused every muscle to tense up. But he wasn't afraid... he was excited. His mind was torn; he clearly understood the signals his body was sending, but his higher functions were screaming – _what the fuck was that!_

He managed to shrug, "no point in it going to waste."

* * *

Sasuke tested the door knob to his room, it did not resist. He threw his keys on his desk and kicked the door closed behind him. Neji sat at his own desk, text book open, highlighter poised in his hand.

It was only the first week of school and Sasuke was sure the Hyuga already had study groups lined up. He was attending college on a scholarship of sorts; his uncle had agreed to pay his way on the condition that Neji kept his grades up and, once graduated, he would work for the Hyuga law firm. Neji accepted the offer with little argument, he likely would have ended up working for the family firm anyway – even if his father was still alive. As it was, Hiashi cared for Neji through his childhood but kept a noticeable distance from his nephew, never really accepting him as one of his own children. In the end that suited Neji fine, it gave him more freedom to do as he pleased so long as he met with his uncle's requests.

Sasuke's relationship with Neji was formal at first. Uchiha Corporation was represented by the Hyuga's and the boys had met briefly on a few occasions as a result. After denying Naruto's offer to be dorm mates, Sasuke had been nervous about who he might end up with. When his father informed him Neji would be attending the same school, he took the opportunity to select a roommate he knew he could put up with.

"Studying on a Saturday night?" Sasuke teased as he pulled off his jacket.

Neji didn't respond right away, he finished the paragraph he was reading before leaning back to look at his roommate, "it isn't even nine o'clock."

Sasuke shrugged and sat down, swiveling in his chair to face the brunet, "any plans for the evening?"

Neji's eyes slit for a moment as he considered Sasuke's mood – he was relaxed, more so than he had been as long as Neji had known him, "how did the hypnotism go?"

Sasuke picked up a pen off his desk and tapped it absentmindedly, "good I suppose. Naruto couldn't focus for shit," he rolled his eyes, "I don't know why we thought he would capable of being hypnotized, he is so fucking ADD."

Neji closed his text book, he was finished with that chapter anyway, "so _you_ went under?"

Sasuke nodded, looking rather disinterested. He was being aloof, even for Sasuke. Neji was exceptionally intuitive, he always had been, and having lived Sasuke for nearly a year he had become attuned to the raven-haired boy's mannerisms, "and how are you feeling?"

The pale boy shrugged again, "good," Sasuke looked up, he could feel Neji's crisp gray eyes piercing him, he pursed his lips, "a little strange. Like something has been lifted off of me. I don't know how else to describe it."

Neji hummed a response and stood up, moving around to his closet. Sasuke followed and gracefully fell onto his bed, he looked thoughtfully at the ceiling – as if the answer was hidden amongst the stained ceiling tiles. His gaze shifted to Neji as the brunet pulled off his T-shirt. Sasuke's eyes followed Neji's long chestnut hair as it cascaded down past his shoulders, _only be able to have that for a few more years_, he thought.

Neji was not particularly modest, he certainly had no reason to be, he was well built – lean yet strong. The first time he stripped in front of Sasuke the awkwardness had been purely one sided. The pale boy could not deny the way his pulse sped up and cheeks grew warm. But the attraction was only skin deep, not that it mattered – Neji was unquestionably straight.

Sasuke returned his attention to the ceiling as Neji slipped into a white button up shirt, "I'm going to a party at Hinata's sorority house... you wanna come?"

Sasuke honestly considered it, Hinata was a pledge – it would behoove her to have attractive upperclassmen as friends. Then again, it was a house full of hormone riddled coeds... and maybe a few drunk frat boys. A frown tugged at his lips with the thought – it was enticing, but he still felt a twinge of infidelity with the idea. That only served to frustrate him more; how was it fair that he felt like he would be cheating when he had never even confessed his feelings? Or knew if they would be reciprocated. _Fuck._

"No thanks. Have a good time," he really did mean it, despite his flat tone.

Neji moved to grab a light jacket and checked his pocket for his phone, "suit yourself. Give me a call if you change your mind."

* * *

The sunlight was slowing creeping down the wall, making it's way to Naruto's bed. It would be closing in on ten o'clock by the time the lazy beam hit his face. Reluctantly he cracked an eye open, it rolled to the side and focused across the room to see Kiba's bed still empty. He'd left to give Naruto his _privacy_ Saturday night and never came back.

Naruto groaned and stretched, throwing his covers off. The room was all his, he took the opportunity to leisurely scratch himself. His motions turned from scratching to rubbing and the blond gave an exasperated groan as he roughly palmed his erection. _Fucking morning wood_. It wouldn't be so bad if he had gotten any action lately, but the blond seemed to have hit a dry spell the end of last year. He just wasn't into it – the club scene or house parties – the meaningless encounters. He'd made out with a few girls over the summer, but his heart wasn't in it – and Naruto had a feeling they could tell.

He continued to run his hand up and down the clothed shaft as he considered how he should turn things around this semester. Growing frustrated with his own efforts his hand slipped under his pajama bottoms and boxers. Naruto closed his eyes and wrapped his fingers around the thick flesh, feeling the familiar contours. He began to stroke with more enthusiasm and his body responded to the sensation, he could feel his cock pulse as he worked it faster, beads of precum slipping out to help lubricate his actions.

In all his ruminations about hook ups and intimate encounters Naruto was blindsided by the image of Sasuke licking spaghetti sauce from his finger. The blond stopped mid stroke, Sasuke's pale face stuck firmly behind his eyelids. His breath was caught in his throat, he tried to shake the visual but it only replayed again and again. The way he sucked his finger, the look in his eyes – Naruto's dick jumped, precum leaking leisurely down his shaft. Slowly he began to pump his hard cock again, no longer fighting the image of the raven-haired boy.

Naruto's breathing picked up as his hand moved faster, gripping tightly. Ragged breaths passed between his lips, accompanied by quiet moans. Those eyes, so dark and deep. They were an abyss and Naruto was finding himself trapped, unable to climb out. He needed to get out, needed to find his release. It was close. _Oh God_. Only a few strokes away. _Oh fuck_. Sultry obsidian orbs. _Jesus... Sas..._

The door flew open, colliding violently with the wall. Naruto's grip strangled his throbbing erection and he hesitated for a millisecond. He had time, he only needed a few seconds anyway. He ran a tight fist over the head of his cock a few more times and shuddered silently as he came, the image of Sasuke fading from his mind as if it was contained in the very semen that was spilling onto his stomach. Hastily he wiped the cum off his skin with one of the spare pillows he had left on the bed, making a mental note to toss it as soon as the opportunity arose.

"Naruto!" Kiba called out as he made his way around the dividing wall. It was with a slight stagger that the brunet made it around the corner.

"Are you still drunk?" Naruto questioned in an amused tone, pulling the covers over his body.

"Are you my mom?" Kiba retorted with a lopsided smile.

Naruto pushed himself up on his mattress, sitting back against the wall, careful to keep his lower half covered by his blankets. Kiba fell back onto his bed and heaved a sigh, after a moment he lifted his nose and sniffed a few times. The brunet had an acute sense of smell – more a curse than a blessing. He recognized the scent of masturbation – the musk may very from person to person, but it always had be same undertone of salty desperation.

He chuckled, "you enjoying your alone time?"

Naruto's eyes slit into a glare as he turned to face Kiba, but the boy was still laying on his back – his attention focused on the ceiling.

The blond huffed and raked his clean hand through his hair, changing the subject he asked, "so where were you all night?"

Kiba shrugged, "around. I didn't want to... you know, accidentally walk in on anything," Naruto could hear the smirk in Kiba's tone, finally lifting his body up to face the blond Kiba asked, "so... how was it?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "actually, it didn't go as planned. We couldn't get me under, so Sasuke ended up being the one to get hypnotized."

"Damn, Naruto," Kiba smiled, "you can't even fall asleep right."

"Yeah. Fuck you too," the harshness of his words were lost in a yawn.

They continued to bicker back and forth until Naruto convinced his roommate to go get breakfast. It was decided to be in both their best interests if they showered before heading out into public. Kiba reeked of booze with hint of vomit and Naruto wanted to wash the evidence of his morning activities off his stomach.

The whole floor shared a common bathroom and when the boys entered there was only one open shower stall. Naruto let Kiba take it and headed back to their room, he used the time to take his soiled pillow down to the dumpster. The blond was tossing dirty clothes into a laundry bag when Kiba returned, looking refreshed. Naruto grabbed his toiletries and headed for the bathroom again.

The sound of water against tile resonated through the room, covering up the smack of Naruto's flip flops on the wet floor. He made his way to the last shower stall and threw his towel over the door before turning on the water. The nice thing about having to wait for a shower, it meant that the water was already hot – miraculously, the building had never once run out of warm water.

With one hand Naruto grabbed his bar of soap and ran it across his wet skin, with the other he worked the lather around. Across his chest, down his arms, along his sides. His mind began to drift back to his bed, back to those images. He shook his head as he worked the suds lower on his abdomen. His fingers brought the soap down into short, curly blond hairs. His hand moved about the region in quick motions, never lingering – only there to clean.

Once completely lathered he replaced the soap in his shower bag and took out his shampoo. With more force than necessary he scrubbed the liquid into his hair, as if he would be able to wash his mind. But the thoughts kept returning. _What the hell?_ He tilted up his chin and let the water cascade across his face. _I must need to get laid worse than I thought_. It was the only explanation – if the best fantasies his mind could create were about Sasuke, he must be more desperate for some action than he had let himself believe.

* * *

**A/N: What is a horny Naruto to do? Stay tuned and find out! XD**


	6. Mares vs Stallions

**A/N: Time for the next installment of Altered States (yay!) Thanks for the great reviews, I am glad to hear everybody is getting into this fic. Now that the preliminary stuff is out of the way, the story will really start to pick up. So enjoy!**

**Warnings: I don't want to hear it. I know what you are going to say and my argument is this - it needed to be done. Things will progress much more naturally and normally as a result, so just accept it and know that I promise plenty of hot boyxboy action in the near(ish) future.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own sweet sexiness that is Naruto.**

* * *

Naruto managed to avoid Sasuke through Sunday – accept for when his eyes lingered closed for too long. Monday was going to be rough. The blond was not moody, but he was noticeably quiet and he avoided direct eye contact as much as possible. Sasuke could sense something was amiss, but had the grace to let it go. If Naruto wanted to talk about it, he would – _God knows he can talk_.

Lunch found Naruto more at ease and he met up with Sasuke at the deli. They brought their sandwiches to a table overlooking the lower section of the student union and watched students trudge to and from class. The time was filled with idle chit chat, nothing meaningful – they simply sat and enjoyed each other's company.

Naruto caught a glimpse of familiar pink hair and called down to Sakura who stopped and looked around in confusion. The blond gathered up his belongings and slapped Sasuke's arm as he moved to the stairs, the raven-haired boy sighed and followed. The three made their way to a sitting area, finding an empty chair and loveseat in the corner. Sakura, ever vigilant, took the single chair. Sasuke offered her a microscopic smile and sat down on the far side of the couch, arms stretched out across the back. Naruto hesitated for a moment, then plopped down next to the pale boy.

"So how did the hypnotherapy go?" Sakura asked as she leaned back in her chair.

There was a moment of exchanged glances before Naruto spoke, "uh... it went well."

The blond recounted the event, interrupted by the occasional quip from Sasuke. As Naruto spoke he would lean forward, motioning with his hands, then fall back into the seat as Sakura replied. Sasuke's arm relaxed on the top of the couch, sliding down so that it nearly cradled Naruto's back every time he would settle into the cushion. Subtly Sasuke's thumb would stretch out, rubbing lightly against the shoulder just in front of it.

It was so light a touch that it could be mistaken for accidental, and that is what Naruto thought – at first. But it was too persistent, it would stop and start again. Soft at first, becoming a little more aggressive just before subsiding. Each time he felt the tentative touch his breath would catch ever so slightly – not so much as to rouse suspicion, but enough to encourage.

Sasuke pulled his arm away and fished his phone from his pocket, "we have to get going Sakura."

She nodded and both stood, picking up their bags; Sasuke moved first followed closely by Sakura. They bid Naruto goodbye and began to walk away. Naruto stood as they made their way towards the exit.

"Hey, Sakura... wait," the blond took a few steps forward, she turned to him, "can I talk to you for a second?"

She turned back to Sasuke, "I'll catch up with you," Sakura returned to the couch and took a seat next to Naruto, "what's up?"

Naruto looked away for a moment, his brow furrowed as he formulated a response, "I think... Sasuke came on to me."

"What?" her shock was tinted with an excitement that did nothing to ease Naruto, "when?"

"Saturday, after the hypnotism. I don't know, maybe it was nothing. But I couldn't get the idea out of my head yesterday, even when I ja-" _whoa there, Naruto,_ "I just couldn't stop thinking about it."

Sakura's sea foam eyes studied Naruto. Their expression could be defined as incredulous accept there was an undertone of... understanding perhaps. She didn't seem dubious about the subject itself, rather she seemed curious about how Naruto was responding to it.

"And...?" she really didn't know how to finish the question.

"And..." Naruto though for a moment, "I was wondering if you could hook me up with one of your friends."

Now Sakura was genuinely confused, "I'm sorry... what?"

Naruto's eyes shifted nervously, "I was thinking, maybe I am just... _frustrated_, you know," he sighed and then chuckled lightly, "I probably just created the whole damn thing in my head 'cause I am _that_ desperate."

Sakura's eyes were almost a glare as she studied the blond, "wow," she shook her head and tried to blink the shock from her face. She turned back and chuckled, "I'll... uh, see what I can do."

* * *

Sakura set a fast pace to her class and managed to get seated just as the lecture began. Sasuke had given her a quizzical look and she returned it with a smile that told him she had news. She could hear the pen tapping anxiously behind her while she took notes and she smiled; she finally had leverage – she knew something Sasuke didn't. Would she tease him with it, dangle it just out of his reach? Or would she be merciful and give him every detail he craved? Why not both?

"Sakura," Sasuke's tone was cool with a hint of anticipation, "what was that all about?"

She simply pursed her lips and hoisted her bag to her shoulder. Sakura walked out the room, stalling at the exit while Sasuke followed her. She moved along the side of the building, finding a quiet corridor with a few benches and sat down.

"Well?" Sasuke questioned again as he sat next to her.

The pink-haired girl looked him up and down in consideration, as if she hadn't decided to speak to him yet, "I saw you in the student union you know," she paused, searching his features for a response and found none, "quite smooth," with that Sasuke smirked, "what happened during the hypnotism?"

The mischievous expression vanished from his visage, leaving a look of consternation in its wake. _Damn popular question_, "we already told you."

"No," her voice was firm, "I mean, what happened to _you_?"

Sasuke sighed, raking his hand though his black locks, "I really don't know."

"You aren't acting the same," she wasn't disapproving, merely making an observation.

"I know. I'm not... scared anymore," he shifted his gaze as he spoke, focusing on the brick wall next to Sakura's head, "I'm doing things I always wanted to do, but was to much of a coward to."

"He said you came on to him the other day," her words were a statement, but her eyes were questioning.

Fiery black eyes shot back to her, "did he now?"

She nodded, "had quite an affect on him too. He said that he couldn't stop thinking about it," she paused to give him a moment of bliss before taking it away, "but he thinks it is just because he needs to get laid. He asked me to hook him up with one of my friends."

The fire went out, his eyes iced over, "figures."

Sakura smiled reassuringly, "I think I know just the girl."

Sasuke tweaked an eyebrow in response.

* * *

Kiba sat on couch next to Naruto, his single ear bud blaring a tune that made the brunet tap his foot against the table it rested on. The commons room was empty on this Thursday night save for them and one girl in the corner reading a book. The blond rubbed his hands nervously on his jeans for the umpteenth time as he waited for his blind date to arrive.

"So this is one of Sakura's friends?" Kiba tried to relax the anxious blond with some small talk.

He nodded, "yeah. Anko," Naruto was grateful his roommate agreed to wait with him. Kiba wasn't the supportive type, but he was a good enough friend to recognize Naruto would appreciate some company.

"What did Sakura tell you about her?" Kiba kicked up his other foot and laid back on the couch.

Naruto looked over to him, "she said they've had a couple classes together, Anko is senior. Sakura says she's cute and... sexually liberal."

Kiba cocked his head and gave the blond a curious look. Naruto laughed and shrugged, then returned his gaze to the doorway. She should be walking into the commons room any minute now.

Sakura's description of Anko was not false, but it wasn't the whole truth either; she was an attractive, smart and sensual woman. She was also a full-fledged lesbian, tried and true. It was a fact that Sakura knew – _quite well_ – and it was the reason she picked Anko over any of her other friends for this task. Anko's primary objective on this date: get Naruto to reconsider his mission to find solace in a random vagina.

Anko walked into the commons room and smiled when jaws dropped.

"Holy fuck," the brunet murmured as he took in her form with predatory eyes.

The blond smiled as his gaze traveled over Anko's features, he began at her feet and meandered up. She sported dark knee high boots, black fishnets that disappeared under an orange mini skirt and a tight gray top. She wore another fishnet tank that wrapped closely around her ample bosom which was, in turn, obscured by a tan overcoat. The woman had deep chocolate eyes and dark violet hair, probably shoulder-length, that was pulled back into a spiky ponytail. Anko was the definition of sex on legs – she exuded it in the way she dressed, walked, and spoke.

"Naruto?" it could have been a purr.

He nodded and stood, "hey."

She smiled sweetly, "shall we?"

Naruto nodded again and turned to Kiba, "see ya."

The brunet continued to gawk as the two walked out the door.

* * *

It was just starting to get dark outside as they wandered around campus. The deserted walkways were illuminated by the periodic orange streetlamp, enhancing the light given off by the full moon. They made their introductions: year, major, hometown. They spoke a little of hobbies, likes and dislikes.

"So Sakura said you haven't been on a date in a while," Anko stated after a lingering silence.

"Of course she did," Naruto huffed, slightly annoyed.

Anko smiled, "so what's up?"

Naruto looked at her for a moment, then shrugged, "don't know."

"Well... I mean, you are a good looking guy and you seem nice. You shouldn't need your friends to set you up on blind dates," her tone was kind.

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously, "thanks... I uh... I just haven't been having luck. I need a little help getting back on the horse."

"So you asked Sakura to find somebody you could mount?" she smirked.

Naruto sputtered, "oh God... that is _not_ what I meant..."

Anko laughed and waved her hand dismissively, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

They made their way to a small grove surrounded by picnic tables. It was secluded and quiet, a nice place to eat or read between classes. Naruto sat on a table top, his feet just brushing the ground and Anko moved to stand in front of him. They continued to speak on trivial topics and Anko inched closer and closer until she was just in front of his knees.

Her expression suddenly changed from friendly to hungry and she took hold of his legs, pulling them apart and moving to stand between them. She grabbed him with ferocity, one hand around his back and the other to tangle in his golden locks. Her lips descended with the same intensity.

Naruto's arms shot out from his side, but they didn't wrap around her – they groped helplessly at the air. Anko disentangled her hands from Naruto's body and grabbed his arms, guiding his hands to her ass. She applied them with a firm grip then returned her hands to explore his torso. She pried Naruto's lips apart with her tongue and ravaged the hot cavern of his mouth.

Anko once again took his hand in hers, moving it away from her back side. She slipped the hand under her jacket, to find purchase on her right breast. She continued to kiss him frantically but he didn't respond. Growing frustrated with his lack of enthusiasm, Anko decided to go for broke – she snaked her hand down to Naruto's lap with the full intention of palming Naruto's erection from outside his pants. Her hand stopped when she found no growing bulge.

Finally she pulled away. Naruto's expression was hazy and distant. He still had one hand on her left ass cheek while the other cupped her breast. She called his name and a light seemed to flick on behind his eyes. Naruto looked at Anko's face with confusion, his eyes then traveled to his hand. He could feel the texture of the fishnet in his palm, and the pliable flesh that was pressed into his fingers. In his other hand, he recognized the firm muscle in his grip. He pulled his hands away quickly, as if burned.

Anko took a step back, "what's wrong? I thought this is what you wanted?"

Naruto looked bewildered, "it is."

"No... your eyes were someplace else," Anko's chocolate eyes peered into his, "where were you just now?"

Naruto blinked several times, "I don't know."

There was a drawn out silence until Anko spoke again, "can I ask you something?" her voice was warm, "you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Naruto nodded, "do you think... maybe... you don't like girls."

Naruto looked appalled, "what? No! I mean... yes!" His brow furrowed, "I mean, I have slept with girls, I'm attracted to girls... you are fucking hot."

She took another step back, recognizing the hostility in his voice, "Naruto, I'm not trying to insult you or... imply anything."

He glared, "the fuck you are!"

She put her hands up in defense, "No, really – I'm not. Its just, well..." she shrugged, "you said yourself you are having trouble getting back on the horse, maybe... maybe you are trying to get on the wrong horse," her eyes grew soft, "you've been going after mares... but maybe what you really want is a stallion."

Naruto gave a defeated huff and looked away. It wasn't worth arguing about, if his impotence made Anko think he was a fag then there was no turning back. She moved back towards him, placing a gentle hand on his knee and tilting her head to look into his eyes. He turned away further. She offered a solemn apology and walked away, leaving him to sit alone in the peaceful grove.

* * *

Naruto had no idea how long he had been sitting on the picnic table. It must have been some time – his ass was asleep and back was cramping up. He slid onto the ground and stretched before he started to walk back to his dorm. His head hurt, his thoughts were engaging in an epic battle across the various fissures of his brain. He needed to talk to somebody – but who? Normally he would turn to Sasuke, but that was out of the question at the moment. Sakura was the one who set this who thing up, he certainly didn't want to speak to her at the moment. There was no way he would be able to have a civilized conversation with Kiba. Naruto sighed and pulled out his phone, slowly he scrolled through his contact list. Making his selection, he put the phone to his ear.

After a few rings a tired voice answered, Naruto smiled, "hey Shika, sorry if I woke you. What time is it there?"

Shikamaru wasn't one of Naruto's closest friends – but he was smart and not judgmental. They hadn't spoken since the graduation party except for the occasional email. Shikamaru had gone back east for school, he didn't even come home during the summer.

"Naruto? Uh, its midnight," there was a pause and a muffled sigh, "what's up?"

"Can I give you a some observations and you tell me what you think?" Naruto kicked a pebble as he walked.

"Sure," the response was mostly obscured by a yawn.

"So there is this guy right? And he has been having dating problems lately," Naruto sat down on a bench near his dorm building, "he's always been interested in girls, but never really had a serious relationship. He has slept with a few girls, but never the same ones he has dated. In fact, if he thinks about it, every time he has had sex it has been with girl from a party or a nightclub and they had been drinking. And it seems like lately, if he is with a girl and she is interested, he is having a hard time... getting into it."

There was a long silence as Shikamaru processed the information, "is the guy stressed or distracted?"

"Stressed? No, I wouldn't say so," Naruto paused, "maybe distracted, especially lately."

"By what?" the groggy voice asked.

Naruto pursed his lips, "a friend has been acting strange recently."

Shikamaru was a bright kid. Even when being woken out of a dead sleep he was still able to piece together the things Naruto wasn't saying.

He carefully chose his words before answering, "well it sounds to me like there could be a few things going on. This guy could have commitment issues, that is why he doesn't sleep with the girls he is dating. He could have problems with intimacy, which is why he can't be sober when he does have sex with a girl. Or, perhaps it is a question of sexuality... maybe he isn't _really_ attracted to girls at all."

Naruto blinked into the night sky as he listened to Shikamaru's answer, "so commitment, intimacy, sexuality," he responded mechanically, "could be any of those?"

There was another pause, "yeah, I think that would be a good place to start."

Naruto sighed, not out of the relief he was hoping he would feel, "thanks Shika, sorry again about waking you up. I didn't mean to bother you."

There was a laugh on the other end, "no problem, I will just have to call you when it is most inconvenient," one final pause, "good luck Naruto."

Naruto looked down to his feet, "yeah, thanks. Night."

"Good night."

The blond stared down at the blank screen of his phone for a few minutes, letting the conversation marinate. With some reluctance he stood and made the short walk to his dorm building. Lethargically he pulled out his key, opened the door and trudged up the stairs. Once on the landing for the third floor he forced himself to straighten his posture and he shook the consternation from his face. By the time he reached his room he looked much more like himself, maybe a little tired, but normal nonetheless.

Music trickled out into the hall from behind the door and Naruto heaved a sigh as he opened it. He allowed the steady beat of drums and shrill guitar to penetrate him and he bobbed his head as he rounded the corner. By the time he reached his bed he had relaxed some and it felt natural when he flopped down on his back. He could feel Kiba's eyes on him, they were piercing and expectant.

"So?" The music was silenced.

"So?" Naruto didn't look over to his roommate.

"So what the hell happened?"

Naruto sat up and shrugged, "we made out and stuff." _And stuff_.

Kiba's eyes were bright, "nice. You gonna see her again?"

"Naw," he shook his head, "this was a one time thing. It's cool though."

Kiba threw himself back onto his mattress, "man... you should have fucked her. She was fucking hot."

Naruto shrugged again, "yeah..."

* * *

**A/N: See? There is a method to my madness. Stay tuned to find out what else I have in store for our confused blond.**


	7. Three's a Crowd, Four's a Brawl

**A/N: YAY! FFN is running normally again! While the hiccup hadn't stopped me from posting it did make receiving alerts a giant pain. So thank you for the reviews and I apologize if I was late in replying or missed a reply, hopefully now that I am receiving regular alerts I will be able to stay on top of it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I know I do.**

**Warnings: Have you heard of this hybrid fruit called a lemon plum? It has the texture of a plum but it is yellow and a little tart. This chapter is like a lemon plum - not really a lemon, but it wants to be.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, things would be different. A lot different.**

* * *

The commons room was a place of continuous fluctuation on Friday nights; people meeting up, making plans and leaving. Tonight there were three unmoving constants: Naruto, Sasuke and Neji. They sat with fixed, blank expressions – their eyes plastered to the TV. There wasn't anything particularly interesting on, but it was better than staring at each other. Finally a commercial broke their trance. Sasuke yawned and stretched, he turned to the blond sitting next to him. His eyes lingered over various features – his messy hair, azure eyes, full lips.

The seconds ticked away as Sasuke stared and just before the attention became uncomfortable the pale boy spoke, "so how was your _date_ last night?"

Neji perked up – and he didn't miss the slight hostility in Sasuke's tone, "you had a date last night?"

Blue eyes darted between pale boys, "yeah, it wasn't a big deal. We just talked some. She was nice, but I don't think we will be getting together again."

"Oh?" Sasuke's tone was too cheerful to be genuine – another note by Neji.

"Yeah, well..." Naruto was cut off by Kiba's entrance.

"Bitches be clubbin'!" the brunet hollered and plopped down next to Naruto.

The couch was suddenly far too crowded. The blond looked over to Neji, jealous of the chair he occupied.

"Come on! I wanna hit up Shukuba tonight," Kiba nudged the blond at his side.

Naruto shrugged, "I don't know..." he looked to Sasuke and Neji.

Neji seemed mildly interested, "I'm down for a club, Hinata's party last week was a bit of a disappointment."

All eyes fell on Sasuke, he would be the deciding factor. Neji didn't associate with Naruto or Kiba unless Sasuke was involved – so his presence would necessitate Neji's. Naruto may go without Sasuke, or he may decide to stay in with the raven-haired boy. Either way Kiba would be going – the prospect of a night alone with the blond was a persuasive one. But things between them had been strained all week and Sasuke didn't think one-on-one time with Naruto was a good idea, he was more likely to behave himself in public, around Neji and Kiba.

"I haven't been to a club since last semester. I'm in," Sasuke turned from Neji to Naruto, who sighed despondently.

"Excellent!" Kiba shot up from his seat and planted a fist into Naruto's shoulder, "go change."

Naruto looked down at his T-shirt and cargo pants, "what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Kiba examined him closely, "I'm sorry, I thought you'd want to get some pussy tonight."

Naruto offered a disgusted glare. Neji actually chuckled, three pairs of curious eyes shot to him for a moment before returning to their original locations. Kiba kicked the blond in the calf, "just fucking come on."

Begrudgingly, Naruto followed his roommate upstairs. Kiba apologized for the crass remark and while Naruto didn't believe it to be genuine, he accepted it anyway. They continued their bickering while the blond rummaged through his closet, finally settling on a slate blue button-up and dark blue jeans. Naruto examined himself in the small mirror that hung in his closet, he did this more to appease Kiba than for actual primping. He really wasn't interested in hooking up with anybody tonight. He fussed with his hair and straightened the collar of his shirt until he heard Kiba huff – the signal he needed to know he had spent enough time getting ready.

The two boys returned to the commons room to find that Sasuke and Neji had also taken the time to make themselves more presentable to the fairer sex. Neji had his hair pulled back into a loose pony-tail and sported a shirt just a shade more gray than Naruto's, the collar and cuffed sleeves an even darker hue. Sasuke wore his hair in its ubiquitous duck-butt, a style Naruto was sure only the Uchiha could pull off, and an equally typical black polo shirt and dark denim. Kiba, in his khakis, red T-shirt and gray hoodie now seemed under dressed – such was his style, so it didn't bother him in the least. The foursome made for the exit.

* * *

A small shuttle traveled around the university, through the neighboring restaurants and bars, and served as a much appreciated form of transportation on the weekends. Without it, the boys would be forced to either assign a DD or walk across campus and through the streets.

The fourth stop was the closest to Shukuba, they disembarked and walked the remaining three blocks to their destination. There were few clubs that catered to the 18+ crowd, most were 21 and over. Next year, they would be able to expand their horizons, but for now Shukuba was their best choice. They each handed over their ID to the bouncer, who examined them closely with a UV light. As the IDs were returned to each boy by the burly man, he grabbed their right hand. Naruto, Neji and Sasuke each received a large black "X", while Kiba received a bright orange wristband; the brunet had turned 21 over the summer.

They entered the club and looked around the familiar surroundings. Straight ahead a flight of stairs led down to the dance floor, the ground floor extended around on either side – effectively turning the dance floor into a pit. To the left was the bar and to the right was a sitting area with high-top tables, a few booths and a couple pool tables. Kiba went left and the remaining three went right.

It took a few trips and the help of some friendly strangers, but Kiba finally got a handful of shots over to the corner booth Naruto had picked out. The boys slammed back their drinks, two for each of them. Kiba returned to the bar after 30 minutes and finagled another round of whiskey and a beer for himself. It was slow going, but they were finally starting to achieve a buzz.

They spent the first hour trafficking booze before Kiba and Neji decided it was time to hit the dance floor – they were officially on the prowl. With the brunets gone, Sasuke seized his opportunity to get closer to Naruto. He called to the blond, his words lost under the beating club music. Naruto leaned forward and the pale boy repeated himself, his voice still a hair to low. Naruto scooted closer, and closer still, straining to hear his friend.

"I said, do you want to play pool?" Sasuke feigned irritation as the blond settled next to him on the bench.

Naruto looked over to the empty billiard table, "I don't have any quarters."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I got you covered dobe."

They moved to the pool table, Sasuke slid in four quarters and listened as the balls fell. The raven-haired boy grabbed the triangle and began to rack while Naruto picked through the small selection of cue sticks. He leaned one against the table and took the other in his hands.

"Loose or tight?" Sasuke peered up to the blond as he ran the rack along the felt.

"Tight," Naruto answered as he chalked the cue.

"Hn," Sasuke smirked as Naruto worked the tip of the cue against the tiny blue square.

He moved away from the table and watched as Naruto lined up his shot. The blond could feel those eyes on him, same as before – intense and burning. He tried to ignore it and ran the cue between his fingers a few times before making his shot. There was a loud crack and the cue ball rolled lackadaisically down the table, colliding with a pathetic force against the triangle of balls on the other end.

Sasuke stifled his laughter and moved to the table. He shattered the cluster of balls, sinking two solids in the process. The next shot was less successful and he stepped away once again to let Naruto take his turn.

He stood a few feet behind Naruto and watched as the blond lined up his shot, shifting from side to side as he decided what ball to aim for. He finally bent down, bringing the cue up to the table as he positioned himself. Sasuke's eyes roved across Naruto's body, he slowly licked his lips as his gaze settled on that delicious ass, poised in the air as the blond considered his shot.

Sasuke actually felt the hormones surge through him; a trillion tiny sparks that traveled through his body – his blood, muscles and skin. He was filled with the urge to somehow get closer to Naruto – to feel him, smell him, be inside him. Sasuke tried to contain himself, but he felt as if his desires might actually burst through his skin. His muscles ached to move, he rapped his fingers nervously against his cue stick and tapped his foot to try and appease the growing need to take action. He ran his tongue against his teeth, pushing against a canine with force – but it wasn't enough, he couldn't quell the impulse. Sasuke fought to calm his breathing, but the rapid respirations could not be diminished. He was about to do something, he could feel it in every fiber of his being, he just didn't know what. The best he could hope for was the ability to make a conscious decision about what that action might be. A thousand possibilities swarmed his mind, each one more outlandish than the last.

When Sasuke moved, it was stealthy and deliberate. Just as Naruto cocked back his cue stick a pale hand reached out, holding it in place. Sasuke leaned over Naruto's bent body, his own torso only a few inches from contact. He placed his hand on the rail of the table, just inside Naruto's arm. Naruto's muscles seized, the tension was palpable. Sasuke smirked, pleased that his presence caused the blond's body to react.

Sasuke leaned in, is lips hovering a breath away from Naruto's ear, "you don't want to take that shot. Go for the twelve."

Naruto turned his head slightly, seeing only black bangs in his periphery, "why? I could make either one."

"Think about the long game. You could sink the ten now, but what about your next shot? If you hit it just hard enough you can sink the twelve and line up for the ten," Sasuke nodded to the balls on the table.

The blond looked back, examining the layout. Sasuke applied a gentle pressure with his hips, redirecting the blond. Naruto held his breath as he felt the pelvis in his backside guide him. He didn't know which upset him more, the way Sasuke was touching him or the fact that he was right – it was a better shot. _Wait... how could that be a tie?_ Sasuke was practically grinding into his ass and Naruto was only _slightly_ put off – he should be pissed, he should turn around and punch Sasuke square in the cheek. But instead his allowed his body to be moved, he allowed the prolonged contact, he found he was less and less bothered with each second that passed.

Naruto turned his head again, trying to catch a glimpse of Sasuke's eyes – but they were just out of his line of sight. Finished with his tutelage, Sasuke retreated. He watched as Naruto's back rose and fell in steadying breaths. The pale boy felt his body relax, his desire momentarily satiated. Naruto sank the twelve and the ten, and the next two shots. It was only a few more turns before the blond was calling his final shot. Naruto may have won the billiard game, but Sasuke had his own victory to celebrate.

Their game finished, Naruto excused himself and made a beeline for the bathroom. Sasuke did not pursue, he allowed the blond his space – no doubt he had a few things on his mind. The pale boy smirked and took a seat at one of the high top tables. If Naruto thought Sasuke had come on to him before, there was no way he could mistake what had just happened.

_What's the next move?_ Sasuke knew he couldn't keep teasing Naruto forever, eventually the blond would have to react – reject or reciprocate. What could possibly drive Naruto to confront his feelings head on? Sasuke pondered this for a few more minutes before sliding off his stool and making his way down to the dance floor.

* * *

Composed to his satisfaction, Naruto finally exited the bathroom. He didn't know what was going on with Sasuke lately and worse yet, he didn't understand how he felt about it. Naruto decided he wasn't going to find any answers staring at broken floor tiles that smelled faintly of piss and vomit. The blond was surprised to find none of his friends present. He moved to the railing and leaned over, scouring the dance floor for any familiar faces.

He located Kiba easily, the brunet had his hands on the hips of a small blond girl as she gyrated against his leg. He had to be six inches taller than her, but she maintained a commanding presence with her exuberant movements and roving hands. Naruto's eyes moved on and found Neji was doing even better than Kiba. He was grinding into backside of a tall and lean red head, his arms wrapped around her waist. She turned her head and ran a hand along his cheek, he didn't hesitate to lean in and capture her lips. Naruto thought about the last time he had been so successful at a club... it had been awhile. He sighed and moved his gaze across the crowd again, the breath he just let out was immediately sucked back in when he caught familiar black spikes on the dance floor.

It was a sight he never would have imagined, likely because he never would have imagined Sasuke dancing... with anybody. Ever. But there, on the packed dance floor, Sasuke swayed and rubbed against _two_ bodies. He was facing a brunette, her arms raised above her head as his hands traveled up and down her sides. Behind the pale boy was a blond guy, well built and just a few inches taller. He held onto Sasuke's hips loosely, allowing the raven-haired boy to move freely against him. _What the hell?_ The tall blond was close, too close. His body grazed Sasuke's back and the pale boy rolled his hips to increase the contact. The girl in front took a step forward and dropped her arms, she extended her hands and snagged the blond's belt loops. Sasuke tilted his head up and allowed her to nuzzle into his neck as she ground into his front.

Something unidentifiable was gnawing its way through Naruto. It started in his chest, worked its way to his stomach and flowed to his limbs. Whatever the sensation was, it was noxious and filled him with unease. If forced to describe the feeling right then and there, he would have no choice but to call it jealousy. His jaw tightened as he watch the threesome. His icy glare seemed more focused on the blond than the brunette. Naruto didn't know what to do, he couldn't go down there – he had no claim on Sasuke. _Do I want to claim Sasuke?_ But he couldn't watch either. He thought about finding his own play thing to grind against, but the idea was slightly repulsive. He turned his back to the dance floor and took a few deep breaths. Naruto found his feet carrying him down the flight of stairs; he had no idea where he was going or what he was going to do when he got there. Naruto located the threesome in much the same position he had last seen them.

Onyx eyes met cobalt and there was a moment of hesitation before Naruto sidled up to the brunette. She turned to him with a scrutinizing glare, but his gentle smile and soft blue eyes had her accepting his presence with no argument. Naruto put his hands on her hips and swayed against her, but his eyes remained focused on Sasuke's. The blond behind Sasuke challenged Naruto with a glare, but Naruto could not be discouraged.

Sasuke reached out and slipped two fingers into Naruto's belt loops, mimicking the girl in front of him. He tugged and Naruto's hips collided with the brunette's ass. She yelped a little at the increased friction, but did not protest; instead she twisted her head and clamped her teeth around Sasuke's ear lobe. He winced a little and something flashed behind his eyes. Naruto caught the fleeting glint of lust and even though it was elicited by the brunette he knew it belonged to him. In his own perverse response, Naruto tightened his grip on the girls hips and leaned in to lick the shell of her ear. His tongue traveled along the skin and flicked against the piece of metal that punctured the helix; his eyes never once broke away from Sasuke's.

The blond on the other side did not appreciate the advances of the new comer. He leaned down to Sasuke and whispered something that had the pale boy shaking his head. The blond persisted, grabbing a hold of Sasuke's hips tighter. Sasuke once again declined the blond, who did not take the rejection lightly. He pulled the raven-haired boy against him tighter and backed away until he broke loose of the brunette's hold on his pants. Sasuke's fingers held on tightly to Naruto's jeans and he slammed into the girl. Perturbed by the sudden aggression the brunette yanked Sasuke's arms away from her, causing him to lose his grip.

The blond took his chance and pulled Sasuke back another couple feet, wrapping his hands across the pale boy's abdomen. Sasuke tried to pull away, but the grip was firm and he lacked the leverage necessary to pry himself free. Naruto looked down to the brunette apologetically and guided her to take a step to the side. The two blonds exchanged glares and Naruto took a step forward. The other blond to a step back, Sasuke still held in place by his iron grip; he leaned down and ran his lips over Sasuke's ear, whispering something that had Sasuke fighting even harder. Naruto saw red; he covered the distance the blond had created in only two steps and swung. Sasuke ducked just before Naruto's fist collided with the blond's cheek in a satisfying crunch. The raven-haired boy was released and escaped into the crowd that had pulled away from the tussling blonds. Naruto took a few hits to the torso before he tackled the blond and laid into him. Naruto would have continued to rain punch after punch into the blond if it weren't for the strong arms that pulled him away. He whizzed around to find Kiba holding his hands up in defense.

"Whoa, Naruto," the brunet said calmly, "dude, its over."

Naruto took a few ragged breaths and furrowed his brow. He turned to see the blond laying senseless on the ground.

Neji, with Sasuke in tow, came up behind Kiba and whispered, "we need to get the fuck out of here."

Kiba nodded and grabbed Naruto's arm. The four boys ran up the stairs and out the exit. The bouncer hollered and chased them out of the parking lot but did not follow them any further. They weaved through alleys and streets, just in case anybody felt the need to pursue them. Only after they were sure nobody was following did they stop to catch their breath.

"What the hell was that about?" Kiba shoved Naruto against a brick wall.

Naruto's eyes flitted over to Sasuke for a moment before he answered, "the guy was being a dick."

Kiba looked at the blond with incredulous eyes, "dude, you fucking beat him unconscious," the blond looked away, "Jesus, I hope I never _actually_ piss you off."

Naruto chuckled nervously. He allowed his gaze to fall to Sasuke once again. The pale boy found it difficult to meet those eyes – they were more intense, more raw and real, than he had ever seen them before. Neji didn't miss a single exchange, he wasn't able to ascertain exactly what was going on – but he knew it was much more than either boy was letting on.


	8. Foxtrot

**A/N: So I had to make a tough decision - really short chapter or really long chapter. Since you are all such wonderful and dedicated readers, I will give you a really long chapter. Its better this way - the next chapter would have been pretty uneventful by itself. So enjoy this, my longest chapter so far. As always, reviews are appreciated!**

**Warnings: Some implied boyxboy, but all in all a relatively safe chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I dream about Naruto... yeah, it's that bad. But even in my dreams, I do not own him.**

* * *

About a block from the bus stop, the boys found themselves sitting in a diner. Their waitress, a middle aged woman with mousy brown hair pulled into loose bun, brought them their drinks. She took their orders as she smacked a piece of pink bubble gum – if it was supposed to cover up the scent of menthol cigarettes it was doing a poor job. The woman put in their orders and returned to the table with an extra glass of ice and a clean dish rag.

She eyed Naruto as she set the items down, "I hope she was worth it."

The waitress left to check on another table and Naruto's perplexed gaze followed her. He didn't remember getting hit in the face, but as he stared at the ice he started to feel his lip throb and noticed the slight copper taste as he ran his tongue against the inside of the flesh.

Kiba watched as Naruto placed a few ice cubes in the towel, "wait... _was_ there a girl?"

Neji watched as Naruto's eyes traveled across the table to Sasuke, the pale boy shrugged. Naruto returned his gaze to Kiba, "Sasuke was dancing with this girl... and this guy– "

"Jesus, Naruto," the blond stammered to a stop, confused by Kiba's interruption, "Sasuke is a big boy, you don't need to fight his battles for him."

Naruto appeared thoroughly puzzled, "what?"

"If this guy was giving Sasuke a hard time than _Sasuke_ should have taken care of it. Way to make him look like a pussy. Fucking cock block is what it was," Kiba shook his head.

"Uh... sorry," Naruto furrowed his brow, "that certainly wasn't my intention," the blond looked to Sasuke again as he applied the ice pack to his lip.

Neji's eyes flitted between Naruto and Sasuke. Pieces were starting to fit together, though large chunks were still missing. He continued to silently absorb what was being said – and what wasn't. He observed the tiny nuances – the glances, nervous ticks and twitches.

After each indulging in a plate of greasy fries and messy burgers the boys made their way to the bus stop. It was early – for a Friday night anyway – but their evening was officially over. They returned to their dorm and slowly made their way up the stairwell. Kiba exited on the third floor, Sasuke and Neji continued to travel up. Naruto waited until Kiba was a few doors down before calling up the stairs.

"Sasuke," the sound of foot steps ceased, Naruto continued, "can I talk to you?"

Onyx eyes widen a fraction as the words hit his ears. That low tone, the foreign tongue. His pulse quickened, "I'll catch up with you Neji."

The brunet studied Sasuke for a moment before continuing up the stairs. Sasuke turned and sauntered back down to the third floor landing. Naruto was leaning against the door, he watched the pale boy – his eyes fixed on Sasuke's. The raven-haired boy drew closer and Naruto suddenly realized he had no idea what he wanted to say. Something, he needed to say something – anything to help him understand what had happened.

"Why were you dancing with that guy tonight?" The question tumbled, unplanned from Naruto's mouth - but it was out now, he couldn't take it back.

Sasuke paused, he too was surprised that Naruto would broach the topic, "technically... he was dancing with me."

"Fuck technicalities," Naruto retorted dryly.

The pale boy lifted an eye brow, "did it bother you?"

Naruto sputtered. _Fuck yeah it bothered me_. He looked to the side and made to chew his lip but the abused flesh protested and he scrunched his nose at the self inflicted pain. The silence drew out and Sasuke realized he wasn't going to get an answer.

Sasuke had two choices – take a step forward and force a response, or take a step back and risk losing this headway. If he moved forward and Naruto wasn't ready, he could do some major damage. If he took a step back and Naruto was ready but scared, he might confuse the blond further. It was the same dance they had been doing for years only now, for the first time, Sasuke wasn't so alone. For the first time, Naruto wasn't just danced around – he was part of the choreography. Forward or back? Forward or back? This wasn't the fucking foxtrot.

He moved, only a small step, but it was enough. There was still a good foot of space between them, Sasuke wouldn't risk too much. His eyes probed Naruto's, searching for a response. Was he nervous, scared, excited? The azure orbs were impossible to read.

Sasuke inhaled sharply and let the words in his heart flow off his tongue, "he wasn't the blond I wanted."

Naruto swallowed hard. He didn't know what to say, what to think or to feel. He was consumed by fear and doubt, it reflected in his sapphire eyes. Sasuke tensed, the fright he saw was seeping into him. It had been too soon. _Fuck_. He need to do something, say something. Fast. Before Naruto's fear turned into something irreparable.

Sasuke smiled, the most calm and reassuring smile he had ever constructed. His eyes turned soft, dark yet warm. He took a step back and shrugged, "maybe next time."

* * *

Sasuke smiled to himself as he walked down the hall to his room. _That could have gone a lot worse_. It could have gone better though; Naruto still had a deer-caught-in-headlights look to him, but at least he didn't bolt out of the stairwell or take a swing at Sasuke.

There was no doubt in the pale boy's mind, with everything that had happened tonight, that Naruto was at least receptive to the _idea_ of him. Whether he would be receptive to more bold advances was still to be seen, but Sasuke's confidence had been bolstered by tonight's events.

He thought back to the dance floor, before things got out of control. He pictured those cobalt eyes, the way they had stared at him as Naruto touched that girl. _Fuck that girl_. She had been the only obstacle between him and the boy he had wanted for so long. They had been so close... so close, but she was in the way. He remembered the way her hips ground into his and he had pretended it was Naruto; the way the blond ran his tongue along her ear and Sasuke imagined that slick muscle was running along his neck. That it was Naruto's teeth on his earlobe, Naruto's hot body against his.

Sasuke reached for his doorknob and hung his head. He pushed his desperate ruminations back and entered the room. Neji was sitting on his bed, text book in his lap as he read. The brunet let the book fall against his stomach as he watched Sasuke undress.

"I hope you know what you are doing," he stated blandly as Sasuke pulled off his shirt.

Pale fingers worked the button and fly of dark denim, "me too."

Neji's solitary statement told Sasuke that he had a friend if he needed one, somebody that would not judge – only listen. And Sasuke's two word response told Neji that, while the offer was appreciated it, would not be taken up right now.

Sasuke wasn't surprised that Neji had picked up on what was going on. Neji always knew more about Sasuke than the pale boy wanted known. That was their dynamic and it had worked well so far. Sasuke knew he could talk to Neji if he wanted, but he didn't feel like burdening his friend with his bullshit. He had his own ways of working out his demons and wading through his thoughts.

* * *

"Done makin' out in the hall?" Kiba teased as Naruto made his way to the closet.

The blond shot him a sincere glare, "not in the mood Kiba."

The brunet's smile fell to a frown as he watched his roommate strip and grab up his shower bag. Naruto didn't speak another word before he left for the bathroom. Kiba was dumbfounded. Naruto was always so relaxed, he never seemed to mind the way Kiba teased him. That's what it was after all, just teasing. Because he knew Naruto wasn't _actually_ making out with Sasuke... _Right?_ Because Naruto wasn't queer... _Right?_

* * *

_Fucking hell_. Naruto moved his soapy hands gently over his torso, that blond guy had hit him harder than he'd thought. He considered himself lucky he hadn't cracked a rib. _What the hell happened tonight?_

He hadn't even really wanted to go to the club – and look how it turned out. Naruto had a cut lip and a few nice bruises forming; and he was even worse off emotionally. His mind felt like it had taken on a whole fucking rugby team. The pool table, the dance floor, the stairwell – if it had been Sasuke's goal to fuck with Naruto, he had succeeded. But Naruto knew better, he wasn't entirely sure about the raven-haired boy's intentions, but he knew Sasuke wasn't just messing around.

Naruto thought about the way he had responded to Sasuke, he hadn't exactly fended off the advances. Hell, he had gone down to the dance floor on his own accord. He pictured it clearly in his mind – the blond guy, Sasuke and the girl. The way the blond guy had reacted to Naruto, he looked threatened. And that girl, sure Naruto had ground into her ass, but what really had him excited was the way Sasuke held him securely by the belt loops. He remembered wishing she wasn't there, even as he licked her – he'd wished it wasn't her skin he was rolling his tongue along.

He imagined those eyes again. They had looked the same in the stairwell as they did on the dance floor – if only for a split second. They were beyond hungry. Naruto had the feeling that if he allowed those eyes to consume him, he would never be the same again – they would strip him down to his essence and then... then they would swallow him whole. The idea wasn't nearly as terrifying as it ought to be.

* * *

Another weekend spent avoiding Sasuke. The irony was not lost on Naruto – it seemed the closer the two got the more distance he tried to put between them. And he hated it. He felt like he was losing his best friend.

He tried to act like he wasn't bothered, like nothing was wrong. But as they sat side by side in class, Naruto knew his cheeks were slightly flushed. He could hear Sasuke's incessant pen tapping, the way it always did when he was thinking. _Damn. Shit. Fuck._ But all the cursing in the world didn't make the situation any easier, it didn't make those feelings go away.

After lecture they made a detour, instead of heading off to their separate classes. They did not linger in the stairwell on the way to the third floor and when they reached their destination it was to find Iruka wasn't in his office; instead they found the white-haired professor. He did not speak as he stared at the two boys standing in the doorway.

"Uh... is Iruka around?" Naruto asked with uncertainty.

The man's dark eyes flitted from one boy to the other, "he is out."

Naruto spared an uncertain look at Sasuke, whose unwavering stare was focused on the white-haired man. His voice was annoyed, bordering on disrespectful, "we need to make an appointment with him for the experiment."

The man's eyes slit to a glare with the cold tone Sasuke used. After a moment his demeanor shifted, he grinned and tilted back in his chair.

"I like you. No bullshit... that's good," he put his hands back behind his head as he spoke.

Sasuke's expression did not change, he was stiff as he stared at the man. Naruto was about to tug on Sasuke's arm, beckon him to leave and come back later, but the man suddenly shot forward in his chair. In a few long strides he was at the door, extending a hand.

"Jiraiya," he said as he gripped Sasuke's hand firmly, "I am Iruka's adviser during this experiment. I will also be conducting the physical exams. Iruka should be back in a couple hours. Why don't you come back after lunch?"

Sasuke returned his hand to his pocket, "I have class at one."

"I don't," Naruto responded.

Jiraiya looked between the boys, "that's fine. Probably better anyway. Blondie, come by after lunch and you," he turned his black eyes to Sasuke, "can stop by after you are finished with class."

The boys nodded and exited down the hall. A few paces down and Jiraiya leaned out the doorway, "and don't forget the tape."

* * *

Finished with their lunches, Naruto and Sasuke made their way through the student union. They exited to find the sun was obnoxiously bright as it hung high in the sky. Sasuke blinked and squinted to look over at Naruto, who seemed to be absorbing the rays. Sasuke smiled and allowed himself to do the same.

After a few minutes of travel Sasuke stopped, "fuck, we forgot the camera," he turned to Naruto. Sasuke didn't have time to go back to the dorm and still make his class on time.

"I'll get it, don't worry about it," Naruto grinned. It was the first time he had given Sasuke a sincere smile all day.

Sasuke smiled back, "thanks."

As the raven-haired boy turned to head for his class room, Naruto called out, "see you later!"

* * *

Naruto's pace was near a jog as he made his way to Iruka's office from his dorm. He sprinted up the stairs two at a time and threw open the door to the third floor. He walked the rest of the way to 304, allowing himself to catch his breath.

He rapped lightly on the door frame and Iruka smiled and welcomed him in. The grad student closed the door behind him as he ushered for Naruto to take a seat.

"It's been a couple weeks, how have you been?" Iruka asked as he rummaged through stacks of paper on his desk.

Naruto pursed his lips, "fine I guess."

Iruka found the file he was looking for and nodded as he flipped through the pages, "okay. So this is what we are going to do, Jiraiya – who you met earlier – he is going to do a physical. He just wants to make sure you are fit enough to continue. While he is doing that I am going to watch your video, afterward we are going to chat about how it all went. Nice and painless."

Naruto nodded and looked around as he awaited further instructions. After a minute of reading, Iruka peered up and noticed the blond still sitting, patting his hands on his knees anxiously. He blinked then chuckled.

"Right, sorry," the brunet smiled, "down the hall, room 308."

Inside Jiraiya's office, Naruto looked around nervously. Bookshelves were crammed with ancient text books and journals, the walls were covered in posters of everything from biology diagrams to waterfalls. Naruto's feet dangled off the edge of the examining table.

"So you are a doctor and a professor?" Naruto couldn't stand the silence as he waited for Jiraiya to find his medical bag.

"Yup. Take off your shirt."

Naruto eyed the man suspiciously as he pulled open an thick, black leather bag. He heaved a sigh of relief when a stethoscope was retrieved from the depths and he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

"So what is the point of the physical. I mean, if people can't get hurt doing these experiments," Naruto lifted his chin, as Jiraiya palpated his thyroid.

"Nobody _should_ get hurt. But some of these experiments can be a little harder on the body than others. Like fasting and sleep deprivation. You are doing that right? Sleep deprivation and a sweat lodge, those will both be a lot harder on you than this last experiment," he placed the cold head of the stethoscope on Naruto's chest, "deep breath."

Naruto took several breaths as Jiraiya moved the from one side of his chest to the other and then around to his back. Jiraiya noticed the bruises on the tanned chest and side. He moved his fingers over the purplish areas and applied a gentle pressure. Naruto winced.

"Get into a scuffle?" Jiraiya asked as he examined the contusions.

Naruto looked away, "it was nothing. Got in a fight at a club on Friday."

Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's chin, his eyes moved from the cut lip to the wide blue eyes, "you get in a lot of fights?"

Naruto shook his head, the movement loosened Jiraiya's grip. His eyes became scrutinizing, "were you drinking?"

Naruto's brow furrowed with guilt, "yeah."

Jiraiya rolled a stool up to the edge of the table and sat down in front of the blond, "I'm not going to sit here and lecture you on the evils of alcohol. You may be too young _legally_, but you are an adult – I'm sure you are responsible enough to make your own decisions. I will ask, though, while doing these experiments that you refrain from drinking or any other activities that may affect the outcome."

Naruto shrugged, "okay," his brow knotted again, "why?"

Jiraiya, who had pushed himself away on his stool, turned back, "because it could skew your interpretation of the experiments. We are interested in understanding how manipulating the body and mind can affect ones perception of reality and how you behave in it. We know how drugs and alcohol can change ones perception."

Naruto made a grunt of understanding, "so that is why you said no drugs when we first signed up."

Jiraiya smirked, "a lot of kids take the Altered States class to try to learn about new ways to get high. Just like they take Human Sexuality to learn about fucking," he rolled his eyes, "it is rarely about the academia."

"So with this experiment... you got a lot of stoners?" Naruto smirked.

Jiraiya chuckled, "a lot of students looking for a free trip. The university was pretty clear when this experiment was approved – they did not want their own Timothy Leary," Naruto gave the man a quizzical look, "showing my age huh? Never mind. You can put your shirt back on."

The man returned to his medical bag and replaced his stethoscope. He snapped the bag closed and turned to the blond, "you passed the physical. Good luck with the next experiment and don't expect it to be as easy as this last one."

Naruto smiled and offered his thanks before returning to Iruka's office. He found the grad student scribbling fiercely as he watched the hypnotism video. Iruka acknowledged Naruto with a quick hand gesture and went back to taking his notes.

It was a little surreal to Naruto – watching the tape. He could hear his voice but the only thing his saw was Sasuke's relatively still form.

"_Sasuke, why don't you have a girlfriend?" _ Naruto's disembodied voice asked.

The blond watched with enlightened eyes as Sasuke hesitated before answering. He didn't notice it before but, after everything that had happened since the hypnotism, he believed there was much more to that moment.

"_Never felt right."_

Naruto remembered his thoughts in that moment, he felt like now maybe he knew the answers to his questions. He continued to watch with fascination, it was like watching murky waters clear. There was something buried just beneath the mud, he'd pushed the sediment out of the way to uncover the mystery and he was waiting for the cloud to settle. But the waters aren't still, the mud doesn't clear immediately. It is painful, sitting back and waiting; but if you try to move the cloud away you will only stir up more.

Naruto snapped out of his ruminations when Iruka turned off the TV, the grad student turned to him with a curious look. The blond raised his eyebrows in anticipation, unsure if Iruka was pleased with their results. Iruka smiled, immediately putting Naruto at ease.

"That was very interesting," the grad student stated with enthusiasm.

"Yeah?" Naruto beamed.

"Tell me Naruto, have you ever..." Iruka paused and restated, "did you receive any guidance before this experiment."

Naruto furrowed his brow, "I talked to Professor Hatake. He told me about setting the mood and being patient," his eyes traveled around the room as he thought, "I got some phrases for induction off the internet."

Iruka cocked his head slightly and spoke, more to himself, "you were the one planning on going under, so you had no reason to seek coaching."

Naruto's confused expression deepened, "did I do something wrong?"

Iruka's eyes brightened, "no. No, not at all. Actually you did exceptionally well. I'm quite impressed. You navigated the whole event flawlessly, you even planted a post-hypnotic suggestion. Tell me, how has that worked out?"

Naruto smiled at the compliment, but his lips pursed at the question, "I didn't plant anything."

Iruka looked at Naruto with his own perplexed expression, "at the end, with the journal," the blond continued to look baffled, Iruka fought the urge to wipe his hand down his face, "when you told Sasuke he wouldn't have to be afraid anymore and that he was free to do what he wanted, you encouraged a change in conscious behavior through a subconscious state."

"Oh..." Naruto looked to his feet and back up, "is that bad?"

Iruka blinked a few times, "well, no. The reason post-hypnotic suggestions are discouraged is because they are often done inappropriately."

"Like making somebody bark when they hear a bell?" Naruto interjected.

Iruka furrowed his brow, "...right. But what you have done... really it is quite impressive. Did it work?"

Naruto contemplated the question for some time before responding, "I think so. I mean, Sasuke has been acting weird ever since that night."

Iruka decided to leave the rest of his questions for Naruto's counterpart. He rifled through his file, "what is your major again?"

"At the moment? Undeclared," Naruto gave a impish grin. He had changed majors twice already.

Iruka smiled, "you should think about psychology. You seem to have a natural intuition that lends itself well to the field. Think about it."

Naruto nodded, and stood up along with Iruka, "do you have any suggestions for the sweat lodge?"

Iruka nodded contemplatively, "follow the instructions closely and don't forget your camera."

Naruto's eyes slitted slightly at the crappy advice. He muttered his thanks and left the office.

Halfway down the stairs, two at a time as was his style, Naruto collided with Sasuke. Air left the pale boy's lungs in an whoosh as he was slammed against the wall. The blond's body held him firmly in place, which was probably for the best – he would have crumpled to the ground otherwise. In the protracted seconds Sasuke become very aware of Naruto's warm breath against his cheek. He fought with his body – urging it to remain calm. He closed his eyes and begged his dick to stay down. The blond finally pushed himself away, his eyes apologetic. He backed up a few more steps, making his way toward the next flight of stairs.

"Sorry Sasuke," he smiled meekly and shifted his bag on his shoulders.

The pale boy straightened himself and pulled his bag forward on his hip, "no problem. I think you crushed my spleen, but hey," he shrugged and moved toward the stairs heading up, "I don't really need that anyway. Right?"

Naruto released a light snort, "right," he took a few steps down and added, "teme."

Sasuke paused on his flight of stairs, "dobe."

* * *

Sasuke stared at the wall, one eye squinting slightly in irritation, as he took deep breaths; the cold instrument moved across his chest and back. Jiraiya pulled away and examined the pale body as if in search of something.

"Like what you see?" the annoyed Uchiha snapped.

Jiraiya smirked, he really liked the fight in this one. The white-haired man took a seat on his stool and wheeled a few feet back from the examining table. Sasuke lacked the bruises of his blond counterpart.

"You know I saw Naruto earlier," Jiraiya's tone was all business.

Sasuke blinked languidly, "yeah."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "he looks a little worse for wear – bruised ribs, cut lip. You weren't there when he got in the fight?"

Sasuke's eyes hardened, "I was there. I just wasn't in the fight."

"Oh?" Jiraiya got up and moved to his bag, replacing his stethoscope.

"No," Sasuke's jaws clenched, he forced himself to relax, "guy at the club was being an asshole, Naruto put him in his place. No big deal."

Jiraiya shrugged, "Naruto said he doesn't get into a lot of fights. I thought, maybe something set him off. You say it was nothing..."

Sasuke looked to the side, "are we done here?"

There was a long silence as Jiraiya continued to stare at the raven-haired boy, "yeah, we're done."

Jiraiya watched Sasuke in his periphery as the boy put his shirt back on and grabbed his bag off the floor. _This kid is an interesting case_. It was obvious to the older man, this boy had many layers – barriers. It was likely he was going to get nothing out of these experiments, but if he let his guard down and allowed himself the opportunity – these next few months could be life altering. Only time would tell and Jiraiya looked forward to their next visit.

Sasuke sat in Iruka's office with a blank expression. There were no pleasantries exchanged, Sasuke scarcely looked the brunet in the eye. The pale boy stared at the file cabinet as he offered mechanical answers to Iruka's questions.

"How have you been feeling?" Iruka asked as he shuffled through the file in his lap.

"Fine."

The brunet pursed his lips, "how did the hypnotism go?"

"Well."

Iruka clicked his tongue in annoyance, "you know if you want to receive this extra credit you are going to have to participate?"

"Hn."

Iruka closed the file and lifted his chin to look Sasuke squarely in the eye, "are you always such an insufferable little prick?"

Sasuke's eyes shot over to the grad student. Words began to flow out of him in a tidal wave, "what do you want me say? This is just how I am. I don't like talking about _'how I'm feeling'_. You wanna probe around in my mind? You wanna know if I have daddy issues? _Fuck you_. This whole thing is bullshit, these _experiments _are ludicrous."

Iruka appeared unaffected by Sasuke's outburst, he lifted his eyebrows and nodded in a patronizing fashion. He smiled and reopened the folder, making a few notes.

"Awful combative Sasuke," his tone matched his expression, it made the pale boy clench his fists tight, "I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you have been in therapy before."

Sasuke looked to his side, "For three years when I was 12. Bitch was useless."

Iruka's fake smile faltered, his voice turned genuine, "why do you say that?"

Onyx eyes returned to the grad student, "because I didn't _need_ therapy. I was a kid, I was just... going through a phase. Puberty is awkward. I didn't need a shrink, I needed a friend."

"So when you quit therapy, was it because you found a friend?" Iruka pried gently.

"No. It was when I found Naruto," Sasuke rolled his eyes with the memory, "he was intolerable. But he gave me something to focus my energy on. We were constantly at each other's throats for years, and then things changed. We changed. I stopped acting out, my parents chalked it up to the shrink and pulled me out of therapy."

"You two have been very close since?" Iruka noticed the way Sasuke averted his gaze at the question, "how do you think it is that Naruto helped you?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I don't know. He made me feel normal I guess. I know I'm not easy to be around, but he was always there, always pestering me. I guess, maybe... I don't know... maybe knowing that he wasn't put off by me, made me believe I was actually approachable, likable."

"But you still carry those insecurities don't you? That is why you are so defensive. Because you still aren't sure people like you, _could_ like you," Iruka peered into Sasuke's dark eyes.

Sasuke licked his lips as he contemplated his next statement, "I think the hypnotism changed something in me."

"Oh?" Iruka's eyes grinned.

Sasuke fidgeted with the hem of his shirt for a moment, "yeah. I don't know exactly what Naruto did, but I haven't been quite _normal_ since."

"How would you describe this change?" Iruka's pen was poised on the blank page in his file.

"I have been doing things, saying things that I normally wouldn't. I know there are consequences to my actions, but I am not...," Sasuke dropped his eyes, "afraid like I used to be."

Iruka scribbled a note, "is this in regards to any particular activity or individual?"

Sasuke's eyes shot up to the grad student. His swallowed hard, his nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply, "why?"

Iruka took pause at the sudden change in Sasuke's demeanor, "just trying to be thorough," Sasuke didn't respond, he just stared with incredulous eyes, "you know nothing you say here changes anything. I am not going to tell... anybody. I am just trying to determine how you were effected."

Sasuke tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it persisted. There was an abbreviated debate in his mind as he decided whether or not to answer the question. _No_. The status quo would remain unchanged.

"I think we are done here," his eyes had grown cold and hard.

Iruka closed his file, clearly disappointed, "fine. Good luck with the next experiment, I hope you find it beneficial."

* * *

**A/N: So since I added the second chunk of this story the formatting changed a little. Don't know if you noticed, sorry if it threw you off. Hope you enjoyed and as always, stay tuned! XD**


	9. Back to Normal

**A/N: So yesterday I got an offer for a credit card and the card design was called "lemons"... I lolled so hard. I kept the little fake card they send with the letter. Man, I wish I could pay for stuff with my lemons. Anyway... time for chapter 9! Poor Naruto has been through a lot these last few chapters, he needs a reprieve.**

**Warnings: more introspection and contemplation, don't read if you don't like character development. XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and as I have previously mention, my lemons don't pay the bills.**

* * *

The week passed by uneventfully, it seemed like things might be getting back to normal – but Naruto was still haunted by the previous Friday. He tried to bury it, avoid it all week – but it had become oppressive, it needed to be dealt with. Naruto refused Kiba's invitations to go out on the weekend, he was content to spend the time alone in his room doing some much needed introspection. Naruto had dealt with enough drama in the past two weeks to last him the rest of the semester, he needed time to process – Sasuke, Anko, Shikamaru, the strange series of events that constituted last weekend.

By Sunday night Naruto was no closer to understanding what had happened or what it all meant to him. He had managed to compartmentalize everything, organize his thoughts into tidy little packages that he could deal with one at a time. Unfortunately one of those containers was labeled "WTF" and it was the largest package of all. The WTF box would have to be dealt with later, Naruto was exhausted from analyzing the insignificant details of everything else he would rather deal with than that box of uncertainties.

Another week began and Naruto tried to retain some semblance of normalcy. He joked and laughed and smiled, but it was somehow hollow. Sasuke recognized the subtle changes in Naruto's demeanor, he became cautious – no longer acting as bold as he had been. But he was still confident in his mannerisms – the way he moved and spoke. It may not have been overtly flirtatious, but Naruto still felt the behavior was predatory; as if Sasuke had captured him and was simply playing around until the time came for Naruto to be devoured. It was those God damn eyes – sultry and deep, that pierced through Naruto and bled him to his core.

He was beginning to loathe those obsidian orbs. He found that if he lingered too long, he could see the desire that soaked them. It caused his stomach to clench – because he wasn't entirely sure that said desire wasn't a partial reflection. An occasional thought would drift up to the surface – the possibility of potential. It would flit around in Naruto's mind before he would catch it and force it back down.

Sasuke was Naruto's best friend, they shared a unique bond – nobody had ever, could ever, mean to Naruto what Sasuke did. It would be naïve to classify their relationship as strictly platonic... but romantic? Never. Naruto had never considered it, never even considered considering it. Until now.

Naruto supposed that everybody, even if only for a fleeting moment, must contemplate their preferences. But he never had, it had always been girls. It _had_ always been girls. So as he meandered across the campus under the blazing afternoon sun, he took his moment to ponder this most basic question. Anko's words returned to Naruto as he processed these strange and uncomfortable ideas, he scoffed at the memory. Mares. Mares or stallions. Was everything so black and white? Why couldn't it be both? Maybe there are special cases – times when a person's gender didn't matter, only that raw emotion that surged forward in their presence. Perhaps years of suppressing the idea had caused Naruto to become desensitized.

Reluctantly he began to wade through these thoughts – uncertainties and fears. Naruto was careful not to go too deep, lest he be pulled down by what was no doubt a relentless undertow. Sasuke – Sasuke was a raging current that threatened to whisk Naruto away. The blond stood in the shallows of his reverie as he studied the terrifying and intriguing nature of the depths. Did he dare go any further?

Naruto stopped in his tracks and blinked rapidly. His wandering path had led him to the fork that Sasuke often took to his Statistics class. Naruto's heart raced and he fumbled to get the phone out of his pocket – 2:17 pm. The class had been out for almost 20 minutes, Sasuke was already gone. Naruto frowned, he felt a sickening pit in his stomach – the result of fear, disappointment and relief.

* * *

"What the fuck is wrong with you lately?" Kiba glared at Naruto from his seat on the mattress.

He had been staring at Naruto for nearly five minutes – since Kiba came back from dinner. The blond had acknowledged him with a mechanical nod and continued to stare up at the ceiling. At hearing these words Naruto turned to face his roommate. He stared blankly for a few seconds before returning his gaze to the ceiling, his brow furrowed. Naruto took a deep breath, opened his mouth – and closed it again. Kiba sighed.

Naruto lifted his torso off the bed and turned to face the brunet, legs crossed as he sat on the mattress. Kiba looked to him expectantly, uncertainly. Kiba wanted his fun, happy-go-lucky roommate back; but he really didn't want to talk about... stuff – whatever it was that was bothering Naruto.

Naruto didn't want to talk to Kiba either, he knew how uncomfortable it would make his roommate – he didn't want to burden him. Naruto looked to the side, examining the contents of their closets closely. His eyes fell on Kiba's kickboxing gloves, he had never seen Kiba actually fight before – other than in their scrimmages.

"Hey Kiba," blue eyes slowly drifted back across the room, "you wanna spar?"

Kiba was taken aback. Naruto never showed any interest in fighting or martial arts; sure they play-fought occasionally, but those were spur of the moment tussles. If it weren't for the other weekend, Kiba wouldn't have even thought the blond was capable of truly fighting. Naruto didn't seem like the type of guy to use a physical altercation as a means to exercise his demons – he was too laid back for that. The brunet shrugged, if Naruto thought getting his ass kicked would make him feel better, than Kiba would oblige.

* * *

It was a quick walk over to the student rec center. The boys checked in at the front desk and Naruto borrowed a pair of gloves, the attendant advised them to check the second floor for a mat. The first two rooms had classes, but the third was relatively empty – a few students worked bags along the wall. Kiba and Naruto took their shoes off at the door and made their way to the blue mat in the center of the room.

They strapped on their gloves and began to stretch. Naruto watched himself in the mirror as he pulled his left arm across his chest. His gaze traveled across the reflection to find Kiba shaking himself out. It was the first time Naruto had compared their bodies side by side. Kiba's build was unassuming; he was a hair taller than Naruto, his shoulders weren't as broad as the blond's but his muscles were slightly more defined. Kiba's black wife-beater was pulled taut across his chest, and like Naruto's white one – it emphasized the shape of his torso. Naruto rolled his head to break the stare and then pulled his foot back stretch out his quad.

Kiba was twisting his core when he turned to the blond, "backyard rules; no crotch shots and we beat the shit out of each other until one of us taps out."

Naruto turned and nodded, he was wearing a smile that made Kiba uneasy. There was a light fist bump before they both backed up a step, bouncing lightly on the balls of their feet. They circled each other a few times, clockwise, then counterclockwise. Kiba threw out a few short jabs and Naruto moved around them. The brunet lifted his right knee but lowered it again before he kicked. Naruto tossed out a couple combos but made no contact.

They continued around like this for a minute, testing the waters. Then, without warning, Kiba swung out his leg, striking Naruto in the hip. The blond scooted to the side but absorbed most of the impact. Naruto countered with his own kick and a jab that landed in empty space. The brunet ducked and rushed the blond, landing three hits into his chest before Naruto could break away. Kiba, still in close range, threw his knee into Naruto's stomach, but the blond caught it – hooking his arm under the appendage. The brunet bounced on one foot, raining hook after hook into Naruto's rib cage.

Naruto managed to get his foot behind Kiba's upright leg and threw his weight into the boy. Kiba grabbed onto Naruto's neck as he fell back. Naruto, knowing little about submission holds, pushed into the brunet and continued to hold onto the leg. Kiba held onto to Naruto tightly and rolled his body until he was on top of the blond, he released Naruto's neck and began to wail on his chest and head. The blond threw his arms up in defense, letting go of Kiba's leg in the process. The now free brunet scrambled behind the blond; he threw his legs around the torso, gripped him under the chin and wrenched Naruto back. The blond flailed wildly for a moment; bucking against the hard body beneath him, digging his heels into the mat without success. He tried to twist and punched blindly behind him – but he couldn't free himself. He huffed and tapped out.

It was a good first round, a measurement of their strength. Back on their feet, they walked around each other while they caught their breath. Naruto smiled and pulled off his wife beater.

"What... you gettin' serious now?" Kiba smirked between breaths as he removed his own shirt.

Naruto jumped a few times, "fuck yeah."

Round two held no pulled punches. There was no dance before attacking, it went from fist bump to a roundhouse kick that landed squarely in Naruto's stomach. The blond fell back, gasping. He quickly got up to his feet before the brunet could bear down on him. Naruto adapted quickly to this new, more aggressive style. He landed a jump kick in Kiba's chest that had the brunet smiling even as he tumbled back. Confidence bolstered, Naruto attempted his own roundhouse kick. Kiba caught his leg and in one fluid movement slammed the blond into the ground.

Naruto got up, shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and got back into stance. Punches were exchanged, each boy taking his turn chasing the other around. Kiba spun away from Naruto's jab combo and hit him in the back with an elbow. Naruto stumbled forward and turned to the grinning brunet.

Naruto threw a kick that made Kiba jump back, the blond attacked in that moment – fists slamming into Kiba's torso until another kick landed firmly just above Kiba's hip. The brunet fell to the ground and took a few breaths, just as Kiba began to get up Naruto threw himself on top of the brunet. The blond wrapped his legs around Kiba's waist and rolled him, gripping one arm under his arms and the other under his chin. The brunet used his one movable arm to toss a few hits into Naruto's face, but the blond did not let go. Reluctantly Kiba patted Naruto's arm and the blond released him.

The third round found Naruto once again pinned. This time he had his back to the mat while Kiba lay on top of him; one forearm pressed into his windpipe while the other trapped his arm. One of Naruto's legs was straddled by the brunet while the other kicked helplessly. Naruto bucked and punched with one arm, but Kiba would not waver. The brunet pushed more of his weight into the blond, who was already struggling to catch his breath. The edges of Naruto's vision began to go black and he felt Kiba's hot cheek brush against his temple. An unwelcome thought intruded on Naruto in that moment. _This really isn't so bad_. The hard body pressed against him, the smell of sweat, the powerful force of their contact. He could feel Kiba's muscles strain against his own and just before he lost consciousness he wondered what it would be like to...

Naruto's eyes snapped open to a resonating slap and a stinging in his cheek. Kiba was looking down at him with relief. Naruto scooted back and sat up, shaking his head. He looked down at the mat in confusion for a moment while he senses came back to him. He felt like he was on the edge of an epiphany, but it lingered in his brain just out of reach of his consciousness. Naruto shook his head again, trying to jostle the thoughts loose but they stuck firmly on the brink.

The blond grabbed the hand that was suspended in front of his face and Kiba pulled him up. The brunet laughed and slapped Naruto heartily on the back, leading him to the door.

"Dude that was epic," Kiba reveled in his victory.

Naruto smiled as his roommate recounted the rounds, highlighting moments of triumph and defeat for both of them. Eventually the blond joined in and they reenacted a few of the better moves as they left the building. Neither of them noticed they were being watched as they exited the rec center.

* * *

Neji sauntered around the corner of the room's dividing wall and leaned against it as he regarded Sasuke on his bed. The raven-haired boy put down his book to stare back at Neji. Neither boy spoke, they just exchanged the same bland expression.

Finally, Neji lifted himself off the wall and walked toward his closet, "it would seem," he spoke over his shoulder, "that you have driven Naruto into the arms of another man."

Sasuke's eyebrow shot up, "how's that?"

Neji turned as he pulled off his loose sleeveless shirt and tossed it into a hamper, "I saw him grappling with Kiba at the rec center."

"Grappling?" Sasuke maintained his indifferent tone.

"Yeah. I guess they were sparring – if that is what you want to call that MMA bullshit."

Sasuke snorted, Neji was such a purist. The Hyuga family had a long line of taijutsu masters, one of few traditions Neji actually cared about. But that wasn't important now, that wasn't what brought Sasuke to his feet.

"You think they are still there?" Sasuke tried to sound casual.

Neji examined the raven-haired boy closely, "no, they left already."

Sasuke quickly rounded the corner to grab his keys from his desk. Neji pinched the bridge of his nose; already knowing the answer to his question, he asked, "where are you going?"

"Out," Sasuke deadpanned before the door shut behind him.

Neji sighed as he grabbed a towel and his toiletries, he waited a few seconds before heading out to the bathroom.

* * *

Sasuke knocked for a third time before deciding nobody was in. _Maybe they are both in the shower._ Sasuke pursed his lips and glared at the door for a moment before turning to leave. As he approached the entrance to the stairwell he heard two obnoxiously loud voices traveling toward him. Sasuke stopped in his tracks, the sound swelled and burst threw the door as it was opened. The two boys took a few steps before noticing Sasuke standing in the hall. An awkward hush fell over them and glances were exchanged. Something intense and undefinable filled the air between Sasuke and Naruto, Kiba's eyes shot back and forth between the two a few times.

The brunet couldn't take the silence any longer, "I'm gonna hit the shower."

Neither boy looked to him, but they nodded in unison. Kiba's expression grew anxious as his eyes darted between them again. The brunet nearly sprinted as he left the two boys in their stare down. With Kiba gone Sasuke let some of his guard down, he relaxed his shoulders and allowed a smile to tug at his lips. Naruto didn't share the sentiment – he continued to stare at Sasuke with nervous azure eyes.

Sasuke moved to the wall and leaned back, hands in his pockets, "I was bored, thought maybe you would want to hang out... what were you up to?"

Naruto could feel Sasuke's eyes travel over his body. It wasn't necessarily inappropriate considering he didn't normally wear gym clothes. Sasuke wasn't checking him out, he was simply observing. _Right..._

"Sparring with Kiba," Naruto forced his voice to stay steady.

"Hn," Sasuke had to forcibly pull his eyes away from the blond.

Naruto allowed his muscles to relax once the onyx eyes had moved off of him. He took a breath and forced a smile, "I was gonna take a shower... you wanna do something in like a half hour."

This time when Sasuke's eyes returned to the blond, they were warm and inviting, "sure. Meet me down in the commons."

Sasuke kicked himself up off the wall and kept his distance from Naruto as he passed. Naruto waited until Sasuke was behind him before moving toward his room again. His shower was once again a time of uneasy reflection – it was starting to become a pattern.

* * *

Naruto made his way to the commons room in lounge pants and a loose long sleeve t-shirt. Sasuke was half laying on the couch, eyes trained on the television. Naruto heaved a sigh and moved in front of the couch, flopping down onto the empty cushion. Sasuke shifted to better accommodate the blond and tossed him the remote.

Naruto looked at the device, then up to Sasuke, "what's on Monday nights?"

Sasuke shrugged. The blond began to flip through the channels, pausing occasionally but never staying on any one show long enough to gain interest.

"So how was sparring?" Sasuke fought the urge to gaze at the blond, he kept his eyes focused on the screen.

Naruto's eyes flitted over and the nonchalance in Sasuke's attitude allowed him to relax, "fun. I needed it."

An eye brow leisurely lifted and Sasuke allowed himself a glance over to the blond, "you needed to fight somebody."

"Yeah," Naruto half chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "I needed to blow off some steam."

"Hn."

"I've been..." Naruto paused, unsure what he wanted to say, "I dunno, stressed."

Sasuke nodded, "you don't usually let things get to you."

There was a question hidden in the statement, but neither boy wanted to address it. The TV continued flick from channel to channel as if it was having a seizure. After a few minutes conversation started up again, this time it was much more casual. It was normal. Finally, something normal – it felt like it had been ages since Naruto had done something normal. They watched a few shows, talked, laughed and never once did Naruto feel that strange sensation – the child of desire and fear – in the pit of his stomach.


	10. The Sweat

**A/N: Thanks to everybody determined enough to review my last chapter,_ curse you FFN_. I hope you all enjoyed it, I know it was a bit slower - more plot and less porn - and I promise that I will be making up for that soon. ) In the meantime, enjoy this chapter with a tiny citrus squeeze. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. My plot bunnies get nice and fat and juicy off your words, so don't spare them!**

**Now, for a real author's note - I have taken some liberties in this chapter. First off, let me say that I know little about the sweat lodge ritual beyond what I learned in junior high and the internet; so I want to apologize in advance if I have butchered this ceremony. Secondly, I realize that the Inuzuka's do not have a relationship with the toads however I needed a shaman to guide them and it seemed to fit. So with that said, I hope you enjoy!**

**Warnings: If I had to describe the boyxboy action in this chapter, I would say it is like lime zest - just enough to freshen the chapter a bit without become overwhelmingly citrusy. **

**Disclaimer: I'm thinking of petitioning for joint custody. Maybe I could own Naruto on the weekends and every other holiday. Know any good lawyers?**

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Kiba watched, amused, as Naruto packed a second box of snack bars into his bag. The four bottles of water made sense, but 20 snack bars? The blond grumbled the entire time, glaring at the foil wrappers with predatory eyes. He was so fucking hungry.

Naruto ate enough to satiate a man twice his size, the blond burned through it. Kiba had thought it was strange at first, even considered the possibility that Naruto was bulimic – it wasn't like Naruto ran cross country and needed the calories. But after a year of seeing the blond inhale every meal and never gain a pound, Kiba chalked it up to an unnatural metabolism.

So the last 24 hours had been a living hell. No food, no water – as was expressly written in the instructions and reiterated by Kiba – even as the douche bag shoveled cereal down his gullet. Naruto sighed despondently and zipped up his back pack. He looked to his clock, it was quarter to noon – Sasuke should be arriving any minute. Anticipation didn't stop Naruto from jumping when he heard a knock at the door. Kiba barked a laugh and moved to let Sasuke in – apparently a food deprived Naruto was a jittery Naruto. The brunet grabbed his keys and wallet while Naruto hoisted his provision filled bag to his shoulders. They made one final look around to make sure they weren't missing anything and moved to the hallway.

Naruto's stomach growled and he fell dramatically onto Sasuke's shoulder, groaning and clenching his abdomen. Sasuke laughed and the blond glared up at him, "does my misery amuse you?"

"Greatly," Sasuke pushed Naruto away. He smirked and allowed his fingers to trail lightly down Naruto's arm as he removed the blond.

Kiba opened the door to the stairwell and followed Naruto and Sasuke down, "should we go over this one more time or do you guys know what you are doing?"

"We got it Kiba," Naruto groaned, it had to be the third time the brunet had asked in the last two hours.

The 24 hour fast was only the first part of the sweat lodge experiment. Well, technically, arranging to use the sweat lodge had been the first part – and that was entirely thanks to Kiba's mom. While Kiba wasn't very traditional his mother held a lot of power within the tribe. She agreed to allow Sasuke and Naruto access to the ceremony as long as Kiba spent the day with her. It was a sacrifice the brunet made very clear he was to be paid back – with interest. Once on the reservation Kiba would take them to meet the shaman and leave them to the sweat. Kiba would not be participating, he had already been through the ritual when he was thirteen and had no intention of doing it again. After the ceremony, what was sure to be many hours later, Kiba would come and get them – and then, Naruto would eat no less than 12 snack bars.

They piled into Kiba's Rav4 and began the long drive to the reservation. Naruto and Kiba chatted over a steady stream of music while Sasuke dozed in the back seat. The pale boy woke when his head slammed into the window.

"Fuck!" he rubbed just above his temple.

"Sorry, next few miles will be bumpy," Kiba apologized, but did not slow down and Sasuke moved to the center seat to avoid a concussion.

It was early afternoon when they arrived on the reservation, it appeared to Sasuke as the smallest town he had ever visited. He supposed it wasn't very PC, but he had expected dirt roads, stray dogs and dilapidated buildings. Despite the poorly maintained road they had drove in on, the reservation proper had clean asphalt streets. The buildings were all stuccoed and painted in the same muted taupe. It was like a planned community – Sasuke frowned when he realized that was exactly right. Except it wasn't a swanky subdivision, it was a pittance for centuries of abuse. The tribe appeared to make the best of it, as was evident by the small shops, two story school and large health clinic.

They drove through the residential areas until only a few scattered houses remained. Kiba parked and climbed out, Naruto and Sasuke followed suit. The brunet began to walk toward a lone house when the door opened and a giant white beast came hurling through the yard. Naruto and Sasuke stopped and Kiba sprinted forward before falling to his knees in front of the dog. The brunet was hit with a force that sent him back a few feet, he laughed giddily as the monstrous animal sniffed and licked him.

"Akamaru," Naruto whispered to Sasuke, "Kiba's dog."

Sasuke snorted, "you must be using that term loosely."

A few seconds later a woman emerged from the same doorway. Though they only met once before, Naruto immediately recognized Kiba's mother. She was an... intense... woman, not easily forgotten. Intimidating though she may have been, she was still friendly and offered a warm greeting to her guests.

"Come on then," she waved the boys forward, "Fukasaku is waiting for you."

They moved behind the house where the boys found a small earthen hut and two men. The first man was middle aged and fit, the second was a tiny, withered man. Sasuke eyed him wearily, fearing a gentle breeze might blow him away.

"This is it," Kiba said turning to face his friends, he leaned in and whispered harshly, "do not embarrass me. If my mom gives me a hard time for this, I will fucking slaughter you both."

The brunet leaned back and clapped them each on the shoulder. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were filled with killing intent. Naruto and Sasuke nodded and Kiba took his leave.

The younger of the two men moved forward and shook each of their hands, "my name is Gamakichi, it is an honor to share this ritual with you," his words seemed more rehearsed than sincere, "I trust you have prepared."

Sasuke spoke first, "thank you, the honor is ours. We haven't eaten or drank anything for about 26 hours now."

The man nodded, "good. Please remove your clothing and follow me."

Though they had prepared for this, it was still a little awkward stripping down to boxers in what was essentially a stranger's backyard. Naruto reached into his bag and pulled out his camera and a pair of gym shorts.

Sasuke eyed him incredulously, "you brought shorts?"

"yeah," Naruto turned to him, "Kiba said shorts were okay... you didn't bring any?"

The pale boy could feel his cheeks flush. The blond chuckled and pulled out a second pair. Sasuke sighed and tugged the shorts up, they hung loosely on his hips but they were better than underwear alone.

The two boys moved to the hut where the ancient man sat in an equally weathered lawn chair. Fukasaku leaned forward, his eyes obscured behind loose skin and thick glasses. Gamakichi motioned for Naruto to approach and kneel, the blond complied. The younger man moved to the side of the hut where a large fire burned bright even in the daylight, he returned with a smoldering bundle of what Naruto guessed were herbs. The man stood behind the blond, moving the bundle around him – bathing him in the sweet smoke.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered, turning his head enough to catch the pale boy in his periphery.

Sasuke looked down at him as the blond made a small gesture with his hands. Miraculously, Sasuke interpreted the action as a cue to begin recording the ceremony. He nodded and pulled the camera out of his pocket, he tried to be as unobtrusive as possible as he filmed the ritual.

The old man scooted forward in his chair and picked up a wooden bowl off the ground, it contained some sort of paint. He began to chant as he dipped his fingers into a thick black paste. Fukasaku studied Naruto closely, examining his features before bringing his stained fingers to mark the tanned skin. He ran three fingers along either cheek then sat back. He motioned for Naruto to stand and leaned forward again, his face even with Naruto's navel. The blond bit his lip and stared up into the cloudless sky as the man tugged his shorts down a fraction of an inch. Naruto clenched his jaw as he felt Fukasaku's bony finger circle his navel, after completing the spiral the man drew lines, like jumbled symbols, radiating out. Naruto looked down when he felt the digit leave his skin, the old man looked up, ceased his chanting and nodded. The blond stepped back and Sasuke took his place, handing his camera over to Naruto as he knelt.

Fukasaku took more time studying Sasuke, peering through his thick lenses to scrutinize the pale boy in detail. He began to chant again as he covered his finger in the inky substance and brought it to Sasuke's skin at the junction of his neck and shoulder. He pushed his finger in and swiped clockwise, he moved his finger up and slightly to the right and repeated the action, a third and final time he pressed his finger into the pale skin and swept down. The result was a triangle of tear drop shapes. The man returned his fingers to the bowl and coated them once more in the dark paste. This time the application was messy; smears and splotches across Sasuke's shoulder and up the pale column of his neck. Appearing satisfied with his work the elderly man sat back in his chair.

Sasuke looked over to Gamakichi who had stopped sweeping the smoking bundle around him, the man nodded and Sasuke returned to his feet. Naruto returned Sasuke's camera to him and admired his markings, Sasuke too checked out the designs adorning Naruto's skin. After a moment they turned their attention to the men, awaiting further instruction.

"Go in," Gamakichi ushered them to the covered entrance, "we will take care of the rest from out here. I will check in periodically and provide you with fresh hot rocks."

Naruto crouched down and shuffled into the hut, Sasuke followed closely behind him. The heat was immediately oppressive, the humidity almost suffocating. Both boys had experienced a sauna before – this was a sauna on steroids. They sat for a moment, eyes adjusting to the darkness – it was almost completely black except for a few tiny holes in the wall and the meager light that penetrated under the seam of the entrance.

Sasuke pulled out his camera and flipped it to the night vision setting, he looked at Naruto through the screen, "do you think these things will hold up in here?"

Naruto pulled out his own camera and fumbled around with it until the screen lit up in a black and green image, "I hope so."

The blond looked up, he could barely make out the silhouette of Sasuke on the other side of the tiny hut. He looked down to his screen, Sasuke looked even paler than normal against the dark contrast of the hut. Sasuke's eyes, though always dark, were eerie on the screen – especially the way they seemed to look directly at Naruto without seeing him. He didn't like it. Naruto pursed his lips as he decided he would prefer hungry eyes to those seemingly blind ones.

Naruto jumped when the drumming started and Sasuke laughed as he caught the image on his screen. Naruto shot him a glare. Sasuke didn't much care for the night vision version of Naruto – he was too monotone. He preferred his version – tan skin, bright yellow hair, shining sapphire eyes. This Naruto was different shades of the same obnoxious green, it wasn't very becoming. But his eyes failed him in the dark, without the camera he would be able to see nothing at all.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the drumming and chanting taking place outside the hut. Naruto laid down, the ground was hard but there were scattered blankets that shielded him from the dirt. He took deep breaths – slowly acclimating himself to the dense air. Sasuke remained sitting, his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. He too closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing.

The drumming and chanting continued without interruption and it became a sort of background noise. Neither boy noticed when they stopped truly hearing it. The silence inside the hut became as oppressive as the hot air. The quiet was disrupted when Naruto's stomach growled angrily and Sasuke snorted in response.

"Its not funny," the blond pouted as he sat up.

Sasuke sighed, "it's kind of funny."

There was no way of judging time. They could have been sitting there for an hour, but it was more likely only half that. Sasuke laid down this time, he was starting to feel dizzy. It was cooler on the ground and the hardness made him feel more stable. After a while Sasuke began to feel every tiny pebble dig into this back and slowly he lifted himself back up. He was surprised to find that it wasn't as hot as he expected upon returning to a sitting position.

What may have been a few minutes later Sasuke noticed that the drumming had stopped, not long after that the flap to the entrance was lifted and the pale boy found himself blinded by the flood of light. Gamakichi, who was presumably also the drummer, scuttled in with what looked like a small boulder held in a blanket. Without speaking a word, he replaced one of the cooled rocks from the pit in the center of the hut and disappeared behind the flap.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes and cursed, any gains he may have had in his night vision had been shattered when the the light hit him. Now it was Naruto that was chuckling, he'd had his eyes closed before the man even entered and kept them closed until the drumming started up again.

"It's not funny," Sasuke spat as he blinked and squinted into the dark.

"It's kinda funny," Naruto smirked, as was evident on the camera's LCD screen.

Sasuke took the device in his hands and zoomed in on the blond, focusing on a whiskered cheek before panning down to the spiral and lines on the blond's stomach. Sasuke zoomed out and was a little surprised to see Naruto staring plainly at him.

"So..." Sasuke tried to sound casual, "you sweating yet?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "its a furnace in here... yeah I'm sweating."

Sasuke zoomed in again, noticing how Naruto's bangs were plastered to his forehead. The night vision did nothing to capture the layer of sweat that was covering the blond. If there had been any ambient light he would undoubtedly have had a sheen to him, but under the infrared light offered by the video camera he simply glowed green. Sasuke imagined what he must look like – black bangs sticking awkwardly to his face, the back drooping and listless.

"How do you feel?" Sasuke focused on Naruto's face and then panned out a little.

"Other than really fucking hungry?" Naruto shrugged, "fine I guess. You?"

Sasuke watched as Naruto picked up his camera and moved it to focus on him, "I was dizzy a little bit ago, but I'm better now."

"So what is the point of all of this again?" Naruto asked as he zoomed in on the marks covering Sasuke's neck and shoulder.

"It's a spiritual cleansing. Traditionally it is used as part of a larger ceremony like a sun dance or vision quest," Sasuke's answer was textbook and held no conviction.

"What about for us? How does this apply to the experiment?" the blond zoomed out to get Sasuke's face in the frame.

Sasuke pursed his lips in thought, "I think we are going to for vision quest aspect. The idea being that our bodies will become exhausted, resulting in hallucinations or lucid dreams."

"what kind of dreams?" Naruto queried, his voice dubious.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, if he could see the blond he would have shot him an annoyed glare, "lucid dreams Naruto. Lucid. As in aware."

The blond gave an exaggerated sigh of relief, "had me worried there for a second."

Sasuke shook his head and chuckled lightly, "have you ever been dreaming and known it? Been able to control it?"

The blond contemplated the question for a moment, "I don't think so," he looked away from the camera and Sasuke's eyes as he added, "hell I can't even control my daydreams."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that but decided against pursuing it any further. He laid down again and shifted so he could keep Naruto in the camera's line of sight. The blond's eyes appeared to travel across Sasuke's reclining body, but given the darkness and the lack of focus it was not likely he was actually _looking_ at the pale boy.

Naruto also laid down and he turned his camera on himself. He focused on the design around his navel then poked it with his finger. The paint did not lift. Naruto tried to smear it but the pattern remained untouched.

"What do you think this stuff is? It's sweat resistant."

Sasuke grunted his 'I don't know' and zoomed in on the blond as he poked at the symbols, "won't smudge?"

Naruto tilted his head back as if he would be able to actually _look_ at Sasuke, "nope."

"Try mine," Sasuke lifted himself up on his elbows.

The blond got up and crawled over to the pale boy. He sat down next to Sasuke's inclined torso, holding the camera in his left hand he brought his right to Sasuke. The raven-haired boy turned his head and stretched his neck, giving Naruto more access to explore. The blond reached out, he could see a slight tremor in his hand through the LCD screen and he focused on steadying it. His outstretched fingers brushed down the pale skin and Sasuke fought to keep his breathing calm – no doubt Naruto could see his pulse was jumping under the digits. Naruto licked his lips – how they could have gone dry in this humidity was beyond him – and he swallowed discreetly as he stroked again.

This time his fingers traced Sasuke's collar bone and followed it to his shoulder, then up the line of muscle until he was at Sasuke's neck. The skin was soft, if not a little sticky from sweat, and so hot against the pad of Naruto's finger. Naruto's touch lingered there, a few inches below Sasuke's ear, before he pulled back. Refocusing his mind to the task at hand, Naruto returned his index finger to the teardrop shapes and pressed into the skin, pulling down and away. As he could have predicted, the pattern remained undisturbed. That was more than Naruto could say for himself.

As the blond pulled his hand back, Sasuke's gaze moved to him. He didn't focus on Naruto's eyes, as he would have under normal lighting conditions, instead he stared into the camera – knowing full well the blond was using it to see just as he did. Naruto gulped as he looked at the screen, those were the eyes that had him so confused lately. _Damn_.

The blond found himself paralyzed, unable to break away. Sasuke blinked languidly, releasing Naruto, who scooted back to what he judged was a safe distance. Naruto tried to keep his ragged breathing quiet, tried to calm the blood – like magma – that burned as it raced through his veins. _No, no, no...fuck_. He could feel the blood pooling in his groin and despite his protests, he knew he was getting hard. His eyes flitted over the silhouette of Sasuke, the boy seemed unaffected as he laid back.

Naruto took his camera and panned over the pale boy's reclining form. Sasuke laid with his hands under his head and eyes closed, face placid. Moving down Naruto could see Sasuke's chest as it rose and fell in slow and steady breaths. Overcome by curiosity he continued to move down Sasuke's body. He zoomed in as he passed over the flat stomach and paused for a moment before moving on to Sasuke's hips. There, faintly illuminated in a dark green that contrasted against the black wall, Naruto could see the outline of a bulge in Sasuke's shorts. He stared unabashedly at the erection then panned the camera back up to Sasuke's face. There was no embarrassment, not even the tiniest hint of shame. The pale face glowed on the LCD screen – it was relaxed, content even.

How was it that such a small contact had affected both boys the same and yet so differently. Naruto zoomed out and furrowed his brow as he stared at the image of Sasuke. Maybe the heat was getting to him. That seemed like a reasonable explanation. That was how this thing was supposed to work anyway – effecting your body and mind. Maybe some wires were getting crossed, that's all. _I got some wires crossed alright,_ Naruto thought,_ long before we ever came in here_.

The silence continued for an unknown length of time – long enough for the drum to stop and another hot rock be brought in to replace a cooling one. This time both boys were prepared and kept their eyes closed until the man left them alone again. By now the heat was making it hard to sit up straight. Naruto was laying down and Sasuke was hunched over his crossed legs, elbows on his knees and face resting in his palms.

Sasuke could feel his eyelids getting heavy and he struggled to stay awake. Fear more than anything kept him conscious, he didn't know if it was his exhaustion that was causing him to drift off or if he was about to black out from heat stroke.

He pulled his camera up to look at the blond that was sprawled out on the ground, "Naruto," his voice cracked, "how are you feeling now?"

The blond shook his head vehemently in response. If nothing else he had more strength then Sasuke, the pale boy wouldn't have been able to move that fast. Sasuke sighed and laid down, his head coming to rest less than a foot away from the blond's.


	11. Enlightenment

**A/N: Hello dear sweet readers! Your reviews for chapter 10 were fantastic and fed my plot bunnies well! Keep it up! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it is very... provocative. That is to say our boys are provoked, into what exactly is still to be seen. XD**

**Warnings: This chapter is standing in the produce department, staring at the citrus stand. Its hand reaches out for a lime, runs its fingers along the pebbled rind and sighs despondently.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto I would scrap the new opening and go back to the one before. But I don't so I have to watch clips on youtube. Also, you know... sex.**

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"Sasuke," it was a hard whisper that brought the raven-haired boy back to consciousness. He blinked and strained to see in the dark before remembering it was in vain.

A hand reached out and grabbed onto his shoulder, shaking him. Sasuke groaned and shook the hand off, "what dobe?"

He brought his camera up to look at Naruto, the face on the screen was one of shock. Naruto's eyes were wide, his mouth agape. Sasuke furrowed his brow and lifted himself off the hard ground. He moved the camera around the hut, searching for the object of Naruto's attention. Finding nothing he swept back to the blond.

"What is it?"

Naruto's eyes shot to the tiny red dot that indicated the camera's position, "you don't see it?"

Sasuke swept back again, staring closely at the LCD screen, "there isn't anything there."

"Don't use the camera," Naruto whispered, as if talking to loud would scare the object off.

"I can't see without it dobe," Sasuke whispered back, irritation bringing a harshness to his voice.

"Teme!" Naruto ground out.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and put the camera down. His eyes searched the darkness on the far side of the hut. Nothing. He couldn't see his hand in front of his face let alone something 10 feet away. He blinked a few more times, but his eyes refused to adjust any further.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Sasuke turned to where he knew Naruto to be, even though he couldn't actually see him.

"It's a fox," Naruto whispered, almost giddy.

"What?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"A fox," Naruto repeated, he chuckled a little, "he has a bunch of tails."

"Are you fucking stoned Naruto?" Sasuke glared into the darkness.

The pale boy could feel the glare that was sent back, "no teme," another giggle, "he's so cute. You really don't see him."

Sasuke sighed and returned his gaze to the black depth of the hut. He closed his eyes and took a few breaths to shed his irritation. When he opened them again there was something filling the darkness before him; a glowing orange wisp that appeared to sublimate from nothing. It slowly began to take shape, solidifying before Sasuke's eyes.

"What the fuck?" Sasuke screwed his eyes shut and counted to ten.

When he opened them again he found no swirling orange mist, instead he saw a fox – with way too many tails. Sasuke could not process this, it was beyond logic. He looked over to Naruto and was shocked to see him – actually see him – bathed in a orange glow. It was too much for Sasuke to take; hallucinating was one thing, sharing said hallucination with another was pushing it, but this – this was absurd. How could a hallucination allow him to see in the dark?

Naruto leaned forward, "hey foxy, foxy, foxy."

Sasuke groaned, the blond was passed delusional – he was caught in a fascinated stupor with an imaginary creature. Imaginary, not real. None of this was real. There was no foxy, foxy, foxy...

_**Kyuubi**_

"What?" Sasuke and Naruto turned to each other as they spoke simultaneously.

Sasuke pursed his lips, "what did you say?"

Naruto sat back on his haunches, "nothing. What did you say?"

The pale boy hadn't opened his mouth before the voice filled the silence again.

_**My name isn't "foxy". You may call me Kyuubi.**_

Slowly, they both turned to the glowing orange apparition. Naruto managed to form sounds that _could_ have been interpreted as questions, "Wha... How..." he paused and regrouped, "what?"

_**You would never believe I came from **_**his****_ subconscious._**

The fox – Kyuubi – looked at Sasuke as it... spoke? _Is the fox speaking? _

_**You would call it telepathy.**_

"You can read minds?" Sasuke asked. His better judgment told him it was ridiculous to engage in conversation with this _thing_, but he couldn't help himself.

_**I can. Not just your thoughts either. I can dig deep, much deeper than I'm sure you'd be comfortable with.**_

Did the fox smirk. Can foxes smirk? Naruto turned back to Sasuke who shifted his gaze to the blond. There were no questions that could be asked, because there were no possible answers and both boys understood this.

_**Why do you look to him?**_

The question appeared addressed to Naruto with the way the fox cocked his head to the side as he observed the blond.

"What?" Naruto turned back to Kyuubi.

_**You are always looking to him. For acceptance, for reassurance, for... answers you should be able to find within yourself.**_

Naruto opened his mouth to respond but closed it quickly. He furrowed his brow, "what do you mean 'always'?"

_**I told you, I come from your subconscious. I am a part of you – have **_**been****_ a part of you. Now tell me, why do you look to the Uchiha?_**

Sasuke didn't like the hostility Kyuubi used in saying his name. He spoke up before Naruto could answer, "if you are a part of his subconscious than you should already know that."

Kyuubi's eyes slit into a glare as he regarded Sasuke.

_**You should learn to keep your mouth shut Uchiha. You might be interested to hear what the kit has to say.**_

Sasuke promptly clenched his jaw and looked to Naruto, whose azure eyes darted between Sasuke and Kyuubi, "I don't know what you are talking about."

_**Sure you do. I remember a time before the Uchiha, when you were young. You are still the same in many ways, but you changed after **_**him****_. Did less for yourself and more for _him_. To get _his_ attention, to make _him_ recognize you, make _him_ happy. _**

Naruto looked flabbergasted, his cheeks tinged pink with the truth of Kyuubi's words. Sasuke too appeared befuddled, uncertain what to make of this information. The fox turned his attention to the raven-haired boy.

_**Why don't you tell him Uchiha. He deserves to know.**_

"Tell him what?" Sasuke's response was immediate and defensive, rousing suspicion from both Kyuubi and Naruto.

_**Oh my, my. What is that? Fear? Perhaps I should delve a little deeper...**_

"You were my first friend!" Sasuke spat at Naruto to shut the fox up.

Naruto tilted his head in confusion, his nose scrunched as he asked, "what?"

Sasuke looked away from the blond, "I never really had friends in school because... well you know how I was back then... still kind of am now. You were the first person that I wasn't able to push away," Sasuke sighed, pained by the confession, "even when we fought all the time, you gave me more attention than any other person."

"Sasuke," Naruto turned to face the pale boy, "you had other friends."

"No," Sasuke pulled his knees to his chest, "I really didn't. Not until after you. You helped me break down some barriers, made me realize I was capable of _having_ friends."

_**Touching really. You see kit? **_**This****_ is what you turn to – this _boy_ with all his insecurities. So I ask again. Why do you look to him? He is weak... cowardly. _**

"No," Naruto turned to Kyuubi, "he isn't a coward. He's human, he is allowed to have weaknesses. I turn to him because he is strong where I am weak. I'm sure it is the same for him."

A memory surged forward in Sasuke's mind, something he hadn't thought about in years.

**"**_**Two sides of the same coin" eh Uchiha? I suppose... but it still makes you look weak kit. So submissive.**_

"I'm not submissive!" the blond growled to prove his point.

_**Maybe not in general. But to the Uchiha...yes, you are.**_

Naruto glared at the fox, "fuck you."

_**A sore spot? You have been considering this for a while now haven't you. He makes you do things... feel things you wouldn't otherwise. The very definition of submission.**_

Sasuke stole a glance at the blond. His cobalt eyes were teeming with anger and laced with fear, they told him the fox had hit a nerve. He knew this was not the time to gloat, but it was obvious now – Naruto was being affected by Sasuke, on a level that troubled his subconscious.

_**I propose an experiment. You like those, don't you kit? Why don't we test this theory of mine?**_

Neither boy responded verbally, but their unspoken questions prompted the fox to continue. He got up, all of his tails wagging as he walked toward Naruto.

_**Let's test what makes you feel more comfortable – being dominant or being submissive to the Uchiha. If you are right, you will detest the submissive position. If I am right, you will prefer submission... but you would never admit that. Fortunately I will know the truth either way.**_

"What's in it for me?" Naruto spat as the fox approached.

_**You have been looking for answers. Consider this a catalyst.**_

"Answers?" Sasuke turned to Kyuubi, then to Naruto – whose eyes shot away before their gazes locked.

_**First let us test your dominance. Go over to the Uchiha.**_

Naruto looked to Sasuke nervously and Kyuubi sneered. _Fuck_. He was doing exactly what the fox had said. Naruto turned his expression to into something cold and unreadable – a countenance more fitting on Sasuke than on Naruto. The blond scooted over to Sasuke and Kyuubi followed, tails swishing as he sauntered across the hut.

_**Lay back Uchiha. Kit I want you to get as close to him as possible – without touching him. Maintain eye contact and stay in that position as long as you can.**_

"What?" Naruto deadpanned.

_**I don't like to repeat myself.**_

Sasuke held back a smirk as he laid down, nestling into the blankets covering the ground.

"Are you fucking serious?" The blond looked down at the pale boy who only shrugged in response, "fine."

Kyuubi moved to Sasuke's head, standing no more than a foot behind him. The radiating glow from the fox washed over the pale boy, highlighting the pieces of hair that weren't plastered to his face and parts of his topography – nose, chin, shoulders and collarbones.

Hesitantly, Naruto positioned himself above the lithe frame. He placed his hands on either side of Sasuke's head and held himself up as he put one leg between pale thighs. Slowly Naruto descended, careful to keep any one part of himself from touching Sasuke. It was harder than it sounded, staying suspended in that position. Naruto's muscles strained under his weight. He hovered a few inches above the pale boy and stared into his midnight eyes.

Sasuke's expression was impossible to read. His mouth twitched occasionally, as if to speak, but the lips never parted. The pale boy's breathing was steady through his nose. His chest rose to within less than an inch of Naruto's before falling again. His eyes were a paradox, they looked extremely satisfied and yet intensely ravenous.

Naruto's breath washed over the raven-haired boy and Sasuke willingly inhaled it. Those breaths may have been the best he had ever taken. He felt like he was absorbing Naruto, pulling him in – and the blond felt the same way. Like he was being sucked in and there was very little inside him left to resist.

Naruto tried to close the gap, but he lost the will. He couldn't stand to get any closer, afraid of what might happen if he did. Naruto maintained his comfortable distance for a few long minutes before his trembling muscles begged him to either pull back or collapse. He lifted himself up and away from Sasuke.

Naruto sat back and chewed his lip as Sasuke lifted himself off the ground. The blond could not qualify the experience, he had no idea if he had done well. It didn't _feel_ like he was very successful.

_**Alright kit. Time for the Uchiha to show you how it is done.**_

Naruto glared at the fox who playfully flicked a few of his many tails. Begrudgingly, the blond laid back. Once comfortable he turned his gaze from the earthen ceiling to Sasuke.

The pale boy moved slowly, deliberately. He crawled over to Naruto and swung one leg around his tan waist. Fluidly, Sasuke lowered himself, his knees on either side of Naruto's torso, his backside suspended above the blond's hips. The raven-haired boy rested his weight on his elbows rather than his hands and brought his face down to Naruto's. Where the blond had left inches between them, Sasuke left millimeters.

The proximity made Naruto shiver. He knew he couldn't blame it on the temperature, but God how he wished he could. The truth was, as best as Naruto could figure it, his heart was beating so fast – blood pumping so hard – that it caused his muscles to tremble. Naruto's breaths were shallow and often punctuated with a hard swallow. It was with a mixture of fear and longing that Naruto stared into Sasuke's eyes. The onyx orbs were searing as they stared back, their depth and intensity amplified by Kyuubi's vibrant orange glow.

Sasuke, for all his outward confidence, was a wreck internally. His mind was at war with his body.

Sasuke's skin itched and begged – _just one touch, an innocent brush, that's all._ No.

His muscles ached – _how glorious it would be to wrap around that body, hold on tight and crush him, become one with him_. No.

Pale lips tingled – _so close, his mouth would be so soft, taste so good_. NO.

Obsidian eyes tried to persuade him – _you know he wants it, look at him, he can't admit it... but he wouldn't fight you_. NO!

One final part spoke to Sasuke, it held the most convincing argument – _it would be so warm and tight inside him, you have waited so long, it would be exquisite. Take him... take him now. Now. Now! NOW! _**NO!**

Sasuke had to pull away before his body defeated his mind. In that moment of retreat, he truly felt weak. He looked away as he sat back, unable to face the object of such intense desire. Naruto released a ragged breath and scooted away. Kyuubi moved opposite the two boys in the hut. The fox didn't say a word, he simply observed their recovery.

It was several long minutes before their eyes met. Each of them having realized something, a secret that could no longer be ignored. Sasuke's midnight eyes admitted defeat – _I can't do this anymore_. Azure eyes stared back with a confession – _I can't lie to myself anymore._

_**Well, well, well. It seems we have learned some things today. What do you think?**_

The boys ignored the rhetorical question and Kyuubi turned his attention to the entrance. The drumming had stopped. The fox moved toward the sliver of light at the front of the hut and sat down once more, his nine tails fanned out around him.

_**It has been... enlightening. We should do this again some time.**_

The flap to the entrance was lifted and both boys turned and shielded their eyes from the light, though it was not nearly as blinding as it had been previously. Gamakichi entered, he carried no hot rock.

"It is time, you have finished," he turned back and held the cover to the entrance as each boy crawled out.

Naruto and Sasuke exited the hut and sat for a moment, absorbing the cool early evening air. To their shock, the sun was setting. Naruto tried to stand, but found his legs quickly gave out on him. Sasuke managed to catch the blond before he fell on top of the pale boy. Fukasaku stood before the listless boys, bearing most of his weight on a gnarled cane planted firmly in the ground.

"So," the ancient man croaked, his voice was strangely high for its graveled nature, "was it as you expected?"

They could only shake their heads in response, still incapable of forming the words necessary to describe what had happened. The old man smiled, deep creases forming around his mouth and eyes.

"I hope you found it to be... enlightening," Fukasaku wheezed a chuckle.

They observed the man with incredulous expressions for moment, before turning their doubting eyes to each other. It would be another couple minutes before Kiba arrived, enough time for their strength to return somewhat. They leaned on one another as they slowly walked to the car. Naruto took a moment to admire his reflection in the window as he waited for the door to get unlocked – the whisker-like markings were thinner than he had expected, looked less like finger paint and more like scars. He supposed it was a good thing, it would probably take a few showers until the marks washed off completely. Sasuke wasn't so lucky, he would be wearing those dark splotches for at least a day.

They both collapsed in the back seat, Naruto groped around in his bag and pulled out a water for himself and one for Sasuke. They finished off the bottles within a minute, only taking a few deep breaths between long gulps. Naruto found a box of snack bars and ripped into them, the action reminded Sasuke of a ravenous animal scavenging their first meal in days. He imagined Naruto growling if he tried to take a package for himself and laughed at the image. Surprisingly, Sasuke did not have to risk losing a hand – Naruto tossed him a few bars between shoving his mouth full. They slept the entire ride back.


	12. OMG LGBTQ WTF

**A/N: Many thanks to all my faithful reviewers! You have all given me plenty to think about for these next few chapters. We are steadily plodding along, it won't be long now. I can see Naruto's revelation on the horizon. Please God, don't let it be a mirage!**

**Warnings: You are likely going to attempt to strangle me through the computer. But I warn you now: if I die, you will not get your lemon. I know, it is harsh - but I have to put my foot down. I refuse to give you a lemon if you hunt me down, torture me and dispose of my lifeless body in the desert. That being said, I liken this chapter to getting grapefruit juice squeezed in your eye - because it is painful and irritating... but citrus nonetheless.**

**Disclaimer: Not only do I not make money off this fanfic, but I am spending more time writing than doing freelance work... so technically I am losing money. Dammit.**

* * *

It was dark by the time campus came into view. Kiba pulled Naruto and Sasuke from the back seat and slowly they stumbled up the stairs. By the time they reached the third floor they were more awake, which only served to heighten their awareness of how exhausted their bodies were. It seemed strange that sitting around for hours on end would make muscles incapable of working, but the climb had left them both spent. Sasuke looked up at the remaining flight of stairs that would lead him to his floor and decided it would be easier to recuperate in Naruto's room, they needed to do their write up anyway.

Kiba saw them to the room, ensured that they made it inside and left for dinner. He was surprised the blond had refused to join him, apparently sleep took priority over food at the moment. Naruto and Sasuke sat at the desk, each attempting to describe their experiences. Between the strangeness of the event and the exhaustion that was crashing down on them, the ramblings were not very coherent. It may have been smarter to wait until they were refreshed and awake, but by then the memories would have faded – become even more confused than they were now.

A soft thump caused Naruto to look over. Sasuke had passed out, his body slouched over the desk, head resting on his notebook. His pen was still in his hand, Naruto looked at the paper under Sasuke's face and smiled at the scribbled sentence that ran together until the ink streaked off the page.

The pale boy didn't wake as he was hoisted up, dragged over to Naruto's bed and tossed onto the mattress. The blond returned to his notebook and attempted to finish his entry. His thoughts were a jumble. He didn't know what he was writing about – the experience, the hallucination or the questions that were still bouncing around inside his head. It was likely a little bit of everything and Naruto considered that it was going to make absolutely no sense by tomorrow. His hand went lax, pen falling to the paper, and his head nodded as consciousness began to leave him. Naruto managed to get up and stumble to his bed, he fell into it with little regard for the other body that crowded the twin mattress.

* * *

Naruto awoke with a start, his blue eyes bright and wide. He didn't know what it was that had brought him so violently from his deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep. Slowly he pulled himself up to prop his head against the wall. Something slid down his chest as he moved and Naruto looked down to see Sasuke's hand laying limp on his stomach. He turned to the pale boy who was still passed out, laying close to, though not quite snuggling, the blond. Naruto picked up the hand and placed it gently on the mattress. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and brought his elbows to his knees, head resting in his palms. His stomach was flipping wildly, he tried to quell the tumultuous activity with deep breaths.

The mattress shifted and Naruto turned to see Sasuke stretching, bleary eyes coming to focus on him. The way the raven-haired boy extended his arms and flexed his feet reminded Naruto of a cat and he smiled despite himself, he turned back and the smile fell to contemplative frown.

"Hungry?" Sasuke yawned as he lifted himself off the bed. Naruto shook his head and Sasuke stopped as he moved away from the mattress, the pale boy looked quizzically at the blond, "you _aren't_ hungry?"

"Not right now, my stomach is..." _flipping_, Naruto looked down, "upset."

"Serves you right for downing 14 power bars in five minutes," Sasuke laughed and Naruto smiled weakly.

Sasuke pursed his lips, he couldn't leave Naruto like this. He was all too familiar with what Naruto was going through; knew that confusion and the fear it caused. He remembered what it was like – like he was a spectator to the events unfolding in his life. If Naruto was anything like Sasuke, the one thing that would make him feel better was control. There had to be something he could do.

"Do you want to try it again?" Sasuke asked, angling his head to see Naruto's face better.

"Try what again?" Naruto looked up, his eyes were so tired.

Sasuke's eyebrows tweaked up slightly, "dominance."

Naruto sprang to his feet, moving forward so quickly that Sasuke had to stumble back to keep from being bowled over, "is that what you think this is about?" Naruto spat, "you think I'm throwing a little pity party 'cause some imaginary fox fuck told me I was submissive?"

Sasuke shook his head and took another step back, rounding the corner of the dividing wall, "no, that's not what–"

"Do you believe that Sasuke?" Naruto puffed up as he spoke, straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin, "do you think you are dominant to me?"

Sasuke did not refute the claim, he simply blinked as he took another step back. Naruto's eyes slit into a glare, failure to deny the accusation was just as bad as admitting it was true. He grabbed the pale boy by the shoulders and pushed him hard against the wall. Naruto slammed his body into Sasuke's, his grip firm on the raven-haired boy.

Unlike in the sweat lodge, Naruto allowed himself to touch Sasuke. He pressed his chest into the pale boy, very nearly ground his hips into him. Naruto brought his face in, but here he did not touch. He explored the line of Sasuke's jaw and the hollow underneath – his nose and lips a hair's breadth away. The lack of contact was electrifying, causing the hair on the back of Sasuke's neck to stand up. Naruto ran his face along the length of Sasuke's neck, his sharp inhales cooled the pale skin and goosebumps broke out just before hot breath swept back over the area.

Naruto brought his lips up to Sasuke's ear, so close yet painfully far away, and whispered, "I'm not the only one that can feel that way."

Sasuke took a ragged breath, "no," he exhaled slowly, "you're not."

Naruto brought his face back to look into Sasuke's eyes. He was still close as he stared into the onyx orbs, his mouth hovered just inches in front of pale lips. There were no more barriers, no more layers to be peeled back. Sasuke's eyes were clear – no longer veiled with sarcasm, irritation, conceit or any of the other defenses usually put in place. These dark eyes spoke of desire, doubt and fear. They pleaded for an answer to a question that had gone unasked for so long. These eyes were strange to Naruto, they lacked the confidence that he had come to rely on – _when in doubt, ask Sasuke._ But now it was Sasuke that was looking to Naruto for an answer, and Naruto wasn't sure he had it.

A deep breath, a slight tilt of the head, a hesitant lift of his chin. Naruto leaned in, paused and leaned in further. It took every ounce of self control in Sasuke's body to keep from pulling the blond into him. But this was Naruto's moment, he needed to do this on his own. A spark flew between their parted lips, filling the infinitesimal gap between them. _This is it._ Sasuke closed his eyes. _After all these years._ His lungs ached from the breath he was holding, but Sasuke didn't dare exhale. _Finally._

"Hey Naruto, I brought you back a – HOLY HELL!" Kiba shouted as a bag of food hit the floor.

It must have only been seconds, if that, but it felt like an eternity as Naruto snapped back to reality. Slowly he pulled away and turned to face Kiba. It was when the cursing hit his ears that Naruto fully returned to his senses and jumped away from Sasuke. When his shocked gaze returned to the pale boy the longing he had seen in those obsidian eyes was gone – replaced with a furious disappointment. He said nothing, he just shoved the brunet out of the doorway and left the room.

_FUCK!_

The two stood there, staring at each other. There were no words, what could be said? Slowly, Kiba bent down to pick up the bag on the floor – his eyes never left Naruto's. The brunet took a step forward and Naruto took one back. Soon the bag was sitting on a chair and the door was closed. Kiba tossed his keys to the desk but missed, he broke the stare as he watched them fall to the floor. Kiba's initial response was a basic fight or flight – actually it was a combination of both, he wanted to punch Naruto square in the jaw and then leave without a word. But by the time he returned his eyes to Naruto's he felt confident he would be able to process what was going on with more than instinct alone.

"Naruto–" Kiba was cut off before he even began.

"I'm sorry," Naruto spat, eyes still wide.

Kiba furrowed his brow, "sorry? Sorry about what?"

Naruto stared blankly. He had no idea, it just seemed like the right thing to say. Cobalt eyes suddenly found the carpet to be exceedingly interesting.

"Look," Kiba started again, "I have no clue what has been going on with you lately, if _this_ is part of it... fine. I can't... I can't help you though," Naruto looked up, eyes hurt, "I don't mean I _care_. I don't care who... what... whatever. I just mean, I have nothing of value to offer you – I'm not... I don't..."

A smile tugged at Naruto's lips, he sighed and allowed his posture to relax, "its okay Kiba. I get it. Don't worry about it. I don't even know if there is anything for you to worry about." _Liar_.

"Okay... good," Kiba shoved his hands in his pockets, "I _was_ going to tell you there is a supposed to be a raging party over at Sigma Chi tonight. I don't suppose you'd want to go..."

Naruto shook his head, "not this time."

Kiba nodded and bent down to pick up his keys, "well I am gonna head out then," he turned, paused and turned back, "you're good?" Naruto nodded, "so I don't have to worry about you slicing yourself up while I'm gone? I mean, I wouldn't mind the free pass for the semester..."

"Fuck off," Naruto smiled.

Kiba grinned back before turning to leave. The door clicked as it closed, Naruto waited a few seconds before bringing his hands to his head and gripping into the blond locks. He threw his head back and growled as he pulled at his hair. _What the FUCK! _Naruto moved in angry, jerking motions as he pulled off his clothes and grabbed his shower bag. He needed to clean off the sweat from the afternoon and attempt to scrub off any residual angst that was no doubt seeping from his pores at this point.

Feeling clean but no less perturbed, Naruto made his way back to his room. He stopped mid stride next to the bulletin board. He passed by it a dozen times every day and never really paid it any attention. But something caught his eye. The blond turned to examine the various flyers – clubs, events, lessons being offered. Then his gaze fell on the page that had made him stop. The stationary was a soft blue with wispy clouds and a rainbow stretching across the paper, along the top in bold letters ran the heading LGBTQ. He read further: _"Queer? Confused? Been there and want to help others? Support meetings held every Sunday 4 pm. Student Union room 215." _Naruto stood there for a few minutes, reading the flyer again and again. _Sunday, tomorrow_.

* * *

The student union was quiet Sunday afternoon. Naruto looked at the placard next to the door – _Room 215_ – then down to his phone, 4:03 pm. He opened the door just enough to slide though and took the first seat against the wall. He had his hoodie up and his eyes darted around nervously. He watched as the chatter died down and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as a lean guy with dark burgundy hair and a kanji tattoo on his forehead stepped up to the podium.

"Welcome everybody, my name is Gaara. Good turnout today, I see some familiar faces and some new ones," Naruto felt his cheeks heat up as the speaker's pale green eyes flitted briefly over to him, "if this is your first time, please know that this is a safe place. You don't have to speak if you don't want to, we are here to support you and help you however we can."

Gaara stepped back and took a seat along the far wall. On more than one occasion throughout the meeting, his eyes wandered back to Naruto. The blond reasoned this to be because of his appearance, he couldn't blame the guy – Naruto probably looked pretty unstable.

The meeting format was relaxed, students went up to the podium and shared whatever they felt like. Some people simply introduced themselves as new to the school or the club, some told stories about how the LGBTQ had helped them, most shared their insecurities and anxieties. Naruto's heart went out to those kids, they lived in fear – afraid of society and of themselves. Whatever he was experiencing, Naruto at least knew he would be supported – never shunned. He sort of felt guilty for acting the way he was – embarrassed or ashamed. At least those students had the balls to stand up and say something.

Naruto was examining his shoes when the last speaker stood up and walked over to the podium. His breath caught in his throat as the speaker made his introduction – Naruto would recognize that voice anywhere.

"I'm Sasuke. I know most of you probably know my story, so here is the cliff's notes version: I have been in love for... well a long time. It took me years to admit that to myself. Nobody really knows... well except," he waved his hand out to the audience, "I haven't been able to tell my family... or him. I thought I might never. But things have changed... I've changed and I think he has too. I'm finally ready."

Naruto spared a glance up at the raven-haired boy. Sasuke was sincere, his normally hard exterior was softer – malleable. His voice still had an edge, but it wasn't as irritated as normal, it was almost as if he were speaking to friends.

"So," he gripped the podium and clicked his tongue, "my name is Sasuke Uchiha, I'm gay and I'm in love with my best friend."

_...Ho...ly. Fuck..._

The room broke out in scattered applause and Sasuke rolled his eyes as he went back to his seat. Gaara took the podium shortly after Sasuke sat down and concluded the meeting with invitation to return, listen and be heard. Naruto waited for the room to clear before he dared to move. He kept his eyes trained on his sneakers and waited. Once he was sure Sasuke was gone he stood and turned to the door.

"Hold up," a voice called from the opposite corner, Naruto turned to see Gaara moving toward him, "you got a minute?" Naruto looked to the exit and back, he shrugged, "this was your first meeting right?" Naruto nodded, "what did you think?"

Naruto looked a little puzzled, why did this guy care what he thought? "I don't know, it was interesting."

"Interesting?" Gaara crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one hip.

Naruto chewed the inside of his cheek nervously, "I just mean... I don't know, I really didn't have any expectations."

The red head nodded, "good, because we don't either. Self exploration takes time, everybody does it at their own pace. Like that last kid, Sasuke, he has been struggling to accept himself since the middle of high school," Gaara misinterpreted the look of surprise of Naruto's face, "being able to come here and at least acknowledge your feelings is a big step. It may take some time to fully understand it all and truly own it – like he did today – but it is easier with support."

Naruto nodded and moved toward the door again, that feeling of guilt was creeping up again. It wasn't that he felt like he didn't belong – in fact it was quite the opposite. It was just that he felt like he was seeing behind a curtain that he wasn't allowed to be behind. This was Sasuke's refuge; if Sasuke was Naruto's support, then this was Sasuke's – and for that alone, Naruto could not impose.

As Naruto reached for the handle Gaara spoke again, "what's your name?"

The blond pulled down his hood, "Naruto Uzumaki."

Gaara's brow knotted, the name rang a bell. A light flicked on behind pale green eyes and they widened as Gaara stared in amused shock. Naruto gave an impish smile and slinked out of the room.

* * *

_Sasuke's in love with me._ The thought resonated in Naruto's mind, his eyes were bright and a grin pulled at his lips. _Sasuke's in love with me._ The smile began to fade and the azure orbs deepened in contemplation. _Sasuke's in love with me?_ The weight of the idea bore down on Naruto, perplexing him.

The thought became a mantra repeating in Naruto's mind as he walked down the empty halls of the student union. He was so deep in his ruminations, he never heard his name being called or noticed the presence of another walking closely behind him until a hand grabbed his shoulder. Naruto turned, startled, and regarded Sakura with distant eyes. She was speaking, or so he presumed – her mouth was moving, but Naruto didn't register a single word.

Once her lips came to a rest Naruto blurted out the only thought in his head, "Sasuke is in love with me!"

Sakura looked shocked, she took a half step back, "what?"

Naruto nodded, his eyes wandered behind Sakura as if searching for something more productive to say. They came up with nothing so the blond repeated, his voice much lower, "Sasuke is in love with me."

"What makes you say that?" Sakura asked cautiously.

"He said so at the LGBTQ meeting," Naruto refocused his attention on Sakura.

She couldn't help but raise a brow at that, "you went to an LGBTQ meeting?" She wanted to slip a 'why' into the question, but felt like the answer was too obvious.

"Yeah..." Naruto scratched the back of his head, "I didn't know he was going to be there."

Sakura leaned against the wall as if she needed the support to keep her up – maybe she did, "and he told you he loved you?"

Hearing Sakura say those words hit Naruto with a whole new reality. It wasn't just in his head anymore. The blond followed Sakura's lead, resting a shoulder against the wall, "No. He didn't see me. He told the group he was in love with his best friend." _That's me, I'm his best friend._

Sakura nodded and tweaked her eyebrows up into a questioning expression, "what are you going to do?"

It was such an obvious question but the answer alluded Naruto. He leaned further into the wall, pressing his back into it as he stared up at the ceiling. Nothing came to mind, a thousand possibilities but no answers.

"I don't know," he finally returned his gaze to Sakura.

She was chewing her lip as she awaited his response, she released it and asked, "how do you feel?"

Another thousand responses, except this time they were all acceptable answers, "confused mostly. Happy maybe. Nervous," he sighed and resigned himself to a deeper explanation, "I have only started to accept the idea of being attracted to Sasuke, I can't be expected to understand something like love."

Sakura smiled, "but you believe you are attracted to him?"

Naruto's eyebrows knotted and his eyes reflected something between uncertainty and guilt, "yeah."

Sakura pushed herself off the wall and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders, lifting him off too, "and what do you do when you are attracted to somebody?" she dusted off nonexistent dirt from Naruto's shirt and he stared blankly at her. She looked into his eyes and spoke with confidence, "you ask them out. Get to know them. Date. Fall in love."

Naruto blinked at her. She said it like it was nothing. _ Sure, ask Sasuke out. No big deal._ Naruto scoffed at the idea.

"I already know him. He's my best friend," Naruto replied.

Sakura's smiled grew, "exactly. You know Sasuke as your best friend, and you love him as your best friend. Now it is time to get to know him as a boyfriend and love him romantically – the way he loves you."

* * *

**A/N: For those not in the know LGBTQ stands for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer". There are many different versions of this same club - it may go by GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance), LGB or LGBTQW (the "W" is for "whatever"). Basically they are all the same concept - support, counciling and public awareness. It is an excellent organization for people of any orientation that want to promote tolerance and equality.**

**Okay, I'm off my soap box. Hope you enjoyed!**


	13. Paradigm Shift

**A/N: Thanks to all my faithful readers and reviewers! I know it has been a long time coming... here is the moment you have been waiting. Enjoy and Happy Easter!**

**Warnings: The Easter Bunny came, but instead of chocolates and little marshmallow birds he left a basket of citrusy goodness. But I don't want my readers to gorge themselves on this basket of sweet boyxboy action so I will take the goodies and dole them out judiciously - making sure you don't overindulge. So here... have a kumquat.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but that hasn't stopped me from doing delicious things to him.**

* * *

Neji peered out from behind the door with a scowl. His clear gray eyes amplified the icy glare he shot Naruto. The blond opened his mouth to greet the brunet but found the door shut in his face. He waited a tic, then two, then three. Hesitantly he raised his fist to knock again but the door opened to reveal Sasuke. The pale boy looked more irritated than tired. Naruto guessed they had probably just gone to bed when he knocked.

He would have been here hours earlier if he wasn't such a pussy. He'd had days to work up the nerve, but once the time finally came he couldn't leave his room. Naruto had paced the small space and stared daggers at the door until Kiba got fed up and quite literally threw him out. When Kiba opened the door again the blond thought he was going to be invited back in – instead his DVD was hurled out of the cracked entrance. Naruto took his time walking up the stairs and down the fourth floor hallway. He stood at the door to Sasuke's room and prayed for it to open on its own.

Now that he had Sasuke in front of him, Naruto's nerves didn't just tremble, they vibrated – at a frequency that rendered his entire body incapable of functioning. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't breath.

"What dobe?" Sasuke wiped his hand down his face as he stared at the dumbfounded blond.

Naruto blinked – that was a step in the right direction. He inhaled sharply – now things were rolling. He lifted his hand to display his DVD – excellent. Naruto was still far from being able to use his words, but he seemed to be communicating satisfactorily without them.

Sasuke leaned forward and tilted his head to read the case, "'Inshite miru: Nanokakan no desu gêmu.'"

Naruto nodded. His respirations were evening out, he attempted to speak, "new movie."

"You want to watch this now? Its after midnight and we have midterms this week," Sasuke moved his eyes from the DVD to Naruto's face.

Naruto smiled nervously, "nobody is in commons."

Sasuke casually lifted an eyebrow. His gaze fell back to the DVD and he sighed, "give me a minute."

The raven-haired boy shut the door and Naruto moved to the wall – crumpled against it. It was a good plan, though it would have been better had he executed it in a timely manner and been able to speak more than six words. This movie was Naruto's way of transitioning Sasuke from friend to something more. It was an activity that they had regularly engaged in since high school – watching Japanese horror movies that were being remade in the states. After this viewing he would invite Sasuke out on Friday and they would go see "The Incite Mill". It would be a movie date under the guise of tradition.

Sasuke reemerged from his room in dark plaid pajama bottoms and a black shirt, it wasn't worth getting fully dressed after midnight. He followed Naruto down four flights of stairs until they reached the ground floor. The commons room was dark and empty. The pale boy took a seat on the couch while Naruto set up the movie. The blond settled on the cushion next to Sasuke – not the far seat as he could have, but the one right next to the raven-haired boy. They didn't turn on any lights; the only illumination came from the television, it bathed them in a cold, flickering brightness.

Naruto liked horror movies but he didn't much care for gore, which is why he was simultaneously happy and irritated to find the film contained few scares and little in the way of gruesome murders. Happy because it meant he could enjoy the entire movie, irritated because it meant he couldn't cringe and bury his face into Sasuke as he had hoped. The movie was winding down and Naruto hadn't managed to create the closeness he had wanted, he needed to make his move before the opportunity completely passed by.

"Sasuke?" the blond whispered as he faced the pale boy.

There was a hum in response, but Sasuke didn't turn to Naruto. It was only after the silence lingered and Sasuke felt a gaze on him that he turned to look at the blond. He was struck by the pleading cobalt eyes he confronted – begging for something unknown. Sasuke swallowed his 'what?' and simply stared back.

Naruto's eyes moved to focus on Sasuke's lips and he leaned forward. He tilted his head as he slowly descended. Naruto hesitated and looked back into those onyx orbs one last time. _This is it_. This was the moment that would take them beyond friendship. There was no turning back once the paradigm shifted. Naruto parted his lips to allow one last ragged breath to enter his lungs.

The touch was so gentle, lips so soft, that at first Naruto wasn't sure they were kissing. It was when Sasuke moved his mouth and a surge of electricity tore through Naruto that he was certain they were. Naruto pressed harder, opened his mouth wider and let his tongue find the seam of Sasuke's lips. The pale lips did not hesitate to part and allow the slick muscle inside.

The tongue was timid at first, then grew bolder as it discovered the various contours of Sasuke's mouth. It ran against lips, along teeth and deeper into the moist cavern until it found its counterpart. Sasuke's tongue was tentative, as if it didn't believe it had company. It poked forward and when the intruding muscle didn't disappear it began to stroke. Sasuke's tongue curled and twisted around Naruto's like it was a long lost lover. It didn't want to let go, so when the slick muscle retreated, Sasuke's tongue followed.

Inside Naruto's mouth Sasuke's tongue calmed down some, it didn't want to be rude – this was its first visit and it desperately wanted to be invited back. Naruto took the lead, sliding his tongue against Sasuke's, feeling in texture of the muscle. It was glorious, everything about it – the softness, the urgency, the subtle minty taste.

Credits were rolling by the time they broke the embrace. Naruto's lips tingled and he savored the residual freshness that danced around in his mouth. Any doubts or fears he may have had – they evaporated just as the saliva around Naruto's mouth.

Now it was Naruto with the hungry eyes, he felt them – the intensity of them. Having those lascivious eyes on him caused a visceral reaction – it made his stomach flip. Being the one to give that desirous gaze made his muscle burn – he ached to ravish or be ravished.

Sasuke smiled, it was deep and content. Years of patience, blind faith and obstinance had allowed him to smile like that. It was contagious, the eager lust waned inside Naruto and he smiled back. If Sasuke could wait years, Naruto could wait too – it would only be fraction of the time – until they were ready.

"Sasuke..." the blond whispered, "I think I like you... as more than a friend."

A pale hand reached out and cupped Naruto's cheek, thumb tracing along the small grin, "'bout time dobe."

Sasuke pulled Naruto down once more and seared the swollen pink lips with his own.

* * *

When Sasuke entered Naruto's dreams that night, the blond did not resist. But Naruto couldn't see him – he was not a person with a body, he was a presence that Naruto could feel. Sasuke was all around and inside him, like a tidal wave that had pulled him out into an inescapable abyss. He washed around Naruto, pulsing through him in a steady rhythm. Every nerve ending was alight with the sensation of Sasuke's being as it crashed and receded like waves on a beach. The steady wax and wane drew cries from Naruto – it wasn't pain, more like over stimulation, that left him raw and inexplicably wanting more. What he thought were screams came out as strangled moans. Over and over. All night long the dream cycled.

Naruto awoke to a familiar, albeit long forgotten, sensation. His eyes grew wide for a moment as it registered, then squeezed tightly shut as he cursed in his head. It had been years since he'd had a wet dream. He opened his eyes again to see if Kiba was still asleep and frowned when he saw his roommate already getting dressed for the day.

Naruto pushed himself up a little, just enough to incline himself but not enough to uncover anything. Kiba turned and regarded him with an irritated expression that had Naruto confused. He turned back and tugged a jacket of it's hanger with more force than necessary.

"So how did it go last night? You hook up with him?" Kiba spoke with the same aggression.

Naruto furrowed his brow, "no. We...no. Nothing like that."

Kiba turned again and grabbed a clean towel out of the hamper. He tossed it at the blond, "well you need to."

Naruto caught the towel and continued to give Kiba a puzzling look, "what's that supposed to mean?"

The brunet huffed and picked his bag up off the floor, "it means that I have an algebra midterm in 15 minutes but I didn't get any fucking sleep because _somebody_ was humping their bed all damn night," Kiba let his eyes roll back and began to moan dramatically, "_'Sasuke... Sasuke... Sasuke'_," he returned his gaze to the blond, "all fucking night long."

Naruto's cheeks grew hot and he swallowed hard. He gave an apologetic look that made Kiba huff again as he turned to leave. Naruto waited a few seconds after the door shut before he got up. He peeled off his still wet boxers and wiped off any residue with the towel Kiba had tossed him. The blond threw the soiled articles onto his sheets and bundled it all together. He glanced at the clock, he would have just enough time to take a shower and do his load of cum stained laundry before his first class.

* * *

Friday was only a few days away, but the wait was excruciating. Mid terms didn't help, they just added insult to injury as Naruto itched for their next encounter. What would happen? _Will we kiss again? Make out? Jack each other off? Will we fuck? _Naruto tortured himself with these questions until Friday night arrived and even then, right up until the moment Sasuke knocked on his door. He doubted they would move too fast and truthfully he didn't know how fast he wanted to move.

Kiba had his own opinion of course – he wanted his roommate to get laid and stop waking him up in the middle of the night with muffled moans. The first night had been the worst, as was evidenced by Naruto's bedding, but that didn't make Kiba any less annoyed.

When Sasuke arrived Naruto bid his dorm mate goodbye. Kiba would be leaving for a party shortly after Naruto and he made sure to express his desire to return home and _not_ be blinded. The blond had laughed nervously and flashed a smile as he shut the door.

The movie theater was sparsely populated, Naruto and Sasuke decided to sit near the back. The subtleties and discretion used in the original film were lacking in the American remake; Naruto found he had plenty of opportunities to bury his face into Sasuke's neck. Each time he nuzzled into the pale column, Naruto considered how close his lips were to that delicious skin – but he practiced restraint.

At one point Sasuke shifted, scooting down in his chair and bringing his feet up off the sticky floor to rest on the back of the seat in front of him. A few minutes later Naruto followed suit. Their knees would occasionally knock and Naruto would let his linger, even pressed against Sasuke's leg. The pale boy did not press back, but he moved his hand to lay near Naruto's on the armrest. A pale pinky tentatively reached out and brushed against a tanned one. It was foreplay to foreplay and it made Naruto chew his lip and wish the atrocity of a movie they were watching would get over with.

Finally the credits rolled and Naruto jumped up from his seat, more than ready to go. Where they were going and what they were to do when they got there were not his concern – only that they were there and doing whatever it was.

Sasuke drove them around for some time, it seemed he also didn't know where they were going. They arrived at a park – it was quiet and dark. The grass appeared wet, the automatic sprinklers must have just recently gone off. They sat in silence, observing their surroundings and the implications that hung heavy in the air. It was sort of cliché and Naruto felt his stomach swirl as he spared a glance to the back seat. Sasuke didn't waste his time thinking about the back seat – whether it would be better to climb over the center console or get out and move back there properly. He hoisted himself up, swung over the console and settled himself back down on top of Naruto in the passenger seat. It was a little cramped, sure, but closeness was the idea.

Naruto swallowed hard and smiled, whatever Sasuke was about to do was fine by him. The raven-haired boy pressed his hands into Naruto's chest, gripping at his shirt, and descended onto his full pink lips. He did not offer his tongue right away, instead he pulled back and planted several quick kisses. Each time their lips connected Naruto became more persistent, attempting to persuade the mouth to stay longer. The embrace grew urgent and by the time tongues were finally introduced it had become a desperate exchange. Naruto groaned when the slick muscles collided, he brought his hands around to Sasuke's back and pulled him closer.

Sasuke loosened his grip on Naruto's shirt and moved his hand lower. Naruto's heart began to beat harder, deafening him to the sound of his moans. Sasuke's hand continued to grope blindly until it found what is was looking for. He pulled back from the sloppy embrace and smiled. Naruto looked a little puzzled, Sasuke's hand wasn't where it should be – it wasn't on his growing hard on. The seat began to shift and understanding took hold in Naruto's eyes.

Sasuke hovered above the now reclining blond for a moment; when he descended again it was with precision and control. It was less lips and more tongue – probing and flicking, stroking and writhing. Making out with Sasuke wasn't anything like Naruto had expected it to be. He thought he would be more nervous or scared, he thought that somewhere in the deeper recesses of his mind it would register that he was kissing _Sasuke_ and that that was fundamentally wrong – but it wasn't. Everything about it felt right; the soft lips and fresh taste of his tongue. It was everything he could have wanted and _nothing_ like he had expected.

Naruto's hands retreated from Sasuke's back and he began to fumble with his fly. Sasuke didn't notice at first – too focused on the feel of Naruto's tongue in his mouth. It was when the zip cut through the sound of muffled panting that Sasuke realized what was going on. He pulled back with a slight frown but replaced it quickly with a soft smile. Naruto had seen the brief look of consternation and paused his movements. Though the pale boy hadn't said a word, hadn't even indicated his thoughts – Naruto knew he was right. This wasn't the right time or place. Sasuke wasn't a floozy and he deserved better than a sloppy exchange in a parking lot next to a peewee soccer field. There was another zip and then Naruto was fastening the button to his jeans.

* * *

The kiss at the door on the third floor landing was slow, almost polite. It promised more to come in the way it lingered on, but didn't become hasty. Naruto watched as Sasuke climbed the next set of stairs and he pursed his lips. It seemed so strange that they would spend the night one floor apart instead of with each other. But it was only their first date after all, even if they had been friends for four years and rivals before then – this was the first time they had been together as something more.

Naruto paused at his door, key poised just in front of the lock. There was music playing, but it much softer than normal and it was slower than what Kiba usually listened to. Naruto sighed, Kiba had a girl over. At least one of them was going to get lucky tonight. The blond spared a glance to the bathroom door. There was a strict "no masturbating in the public shower stalls" rule that he was normally thankful for, but the frustration from earlier was creeping back and the blond considered breaking the rule just this once. He sighed again – he was better than that.

Naruto spent the night in the commons room watching TV and chatting idly with whoever sat next to him. The occasional quiet moment found Naruto's mind drifting back to that parking lot, back to the raven-haired boy that hovered above him. Sasuke had thoroughly plundered his mouth, and so much more - it felt as if Sasuke now owned a piece of Naruto; his mind, his soul and his heart.


	14. Like a Virgin

**A/N: Hello dear readers! I'm glad you all enjoyed that last chapter. We finally made it over the figurative hump and now we shall descend into juicy, steamy, sexful scenes. But, as is my nature, I will not give you everything all at once. I am going to make you work for it. So read, review and salivate until the next installment.**

**Warnings: A true lime. I shit you not. I picked this lime special - it is the first of many to... shall we say... come. So if you don't want to read my sweet boyxboy action, then I suggest turning back now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but God how I wish I did**

* * *

"So you survived the sweat lodge," Jiraiya smiled at the blond on his examining table.

Naruto smiled back, a bit bigger than was warranted, "oh yeah. We survived."

Jiraiya took pause at the tone but shook it off, "and how are you feeling?"

The man's hands moved across Naruto's bare torso in a way that was strictly professional and elicited no response from the blond. _Strange_. Naruto thought briefly, the touch of a physician was so unique – it was light, yet firm and somehow the body knew it was nothing intimate. Naruto's body had been touched a lot in the past weeks but somehow it was able to discern those touches from these.

"I feel fine now," he answered, "you were right though, it was a lot harder on us."

"Oh?" Jiraiya fitted his stethoscope to his ears.

"Yeah," deep breath, "we were," deep breath, "so tired," deep breath, "we just," deep breath, "passed out when we got into the car. Well after I gorged on snack bars. Then again once we got home."

The man took a seat on his stool and looked up at the blond, "it's interesting isn't it? How hard just sitting in that environment can be on your system. It is difficult to breathe in the heat, your body becomes oxygen deprived. That is how the hallucinations occur, that and increased body temperature – the brain begins to struggle," he smiled again, "I'm glad it went so well for you."

Naruto looked more serious, his eyes drifted to his feet dangling above the floor, "can your brain lie to you? I mean... can the hallucinations trick you?"

Jiraiya's eyes squinted as he read the blond's expression and pondered his words, "it is certainly possible. There are many documented cases where a person claims a hallucination convinced them to do something – usually bad things," his tone turned warm and reassuring, "but mental illness is nothing like what you and Sasuke went through. In theory, these kinds of hallucinations are more explorations of your subconscious – these are thoughts that are strictly yours and more honest than you would admit to yourself. That is their value Naruto, they are a way of getting past the barriers you put up and seeking out the truth in... all sorts of things."

The blond nodded with a smile and tugged his shirt back on, "so what is sleep deprivation going to do to me?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "everybody handles sleep deprivation differently. Long term sleep deprivation can have serious physiological effects, but you should only experience the short term ones; memory loss, confusion, headaches, fatigue and hallucinations."

Naruto pursed his lips, "awesome."

Jiraiya stood and looked to the clock on the wall, "you better scoot, Iruka is waiting for you."

The blond entered room 304 hesitantly, unsure what he was going to find. He had been asked to drop the video off earlier in the day to give Iruka adequate time to review it. The grad student was sitting at his desk, writing in Naruto's file. The TV was silent static. Iruka looked up and offered Naruto a small smile.

Naruto shut the door behind him as he crossed into the office and took a seat on the couch. Iruka got up and moved toward him, sitting down in the chair opposite the blond. He read through his notes one last time before looking back up at the blond.

"Tell me about the sweat lodge," Iruka sat back in his chair.

Naruto shifted nervously in his seat, "it was hot," he smiled, but it was not returned, "what do you want to know?"

Iruka blinked patiently, "I want to know what you experienced."

"Okay..." Naruto sighed, "well it _was_ hot. It... is hard to describe."

"Try."

Naruto slouched into the couch and chewed at his lip, "it was kind of like being drunk. Hot and hazy. The heat made it hard to breathe. I think I passed out at one point. Then there was this... thing. I guess it was a hallucination, but Sasuke saw it too."

Iruka nodded, "tell me about it."

The blond shifted again, "it was a fox. But not a real fox, it glowed and had a lot of tails... and it talked."

Iruka made an interested hum that caused Naruto to pause. The grad student looked up from his notes and blinked before answering Naruto's unasked question, "it is interesting that you say it glowed."

"Why?" Naruto replied hesitantly.

"Because the night vision on the camera went crazy just before you started talking to thin air. It was like somebody was shining a flashlight at the camera," the brunet spoke with a contemplative tone.

Naruto's eyes widened, "what the hell does that mean?"

"Don't know," Iruka shrugged, "tell me more about the fox."

Naruto continued to look stunned for a moment before blinking it away and responding, "it said it came from my subconscious, said its name was Kyuubi. It questioned my... relationship with Sasuke and posed an experiment to test us."

The grad student nodded, "Tell me Naruto, what _is_ the nature of your relationship with Sasuke?"

The blond clenched his jaw, "what difference does that make?"

"Well..." Iruka steepled his fingers and tapped his lips, "I want to know if you make a habit of touching your friends so intimately, or if that was that an effect of the sweat."

Naruto swallowed, "no. I don't."

"I see," Iruka took a moment to write a note in the file on his lap, "that is important to know," he looked back up, eyes twinkling with mirth, "would you consider your actions to be unprompted or... latent?"

Azure eyes shifted away as he mumbled, "latent."

Iruka's smirk grew. He wasn't normally so sadistic, but how could he resist? The video Naruto produced had been... entertaining to say the least. Touching, erections, recumbent staring contests.

He decided to refocus his questions and give the blond a reprieve. Iruka cleared his throat, "so did this hallucination offer you any insight?"

Naruto's eyes brightened and a smirk crept across his lips, "yeah."

"About your relationship with Sasuke?" Iruka added.

Naruto was torn. He wanted to shout from the rooftops but at the same time felt it was too personal to share with just anybody. His grin fell and he chewed his lip as his eyes turned dark in contemplation.

"Kyuubi wanted me to see a truth about Sasuke that I wouldn't allow myself to. He sort of goaded me into it. He pushed all the right buttons until I was forced to face it," the smile returned to Naruto's azure eyes, "and now that I have, I don't know what was holding me back."

* * *

Naruto took the steps down slowly this time and stopped when he saw a mess of black spikes winding up the stairs. A body blocked the passage up from the second floor landing and Sasuke shot an icy glare before he recognized Naruto's form. The cold eyes thawed immediately.

The blond took a step forward and Sasuke stood his ground. Naruto took another step and their chests pressed together. Two more steps had Sasuke's back against the wall. There was a predatory glint in cobalt eyes and Naruto brought his hands up to cup Sasuke's cheeks. The kiss was soft and drawn out. Gentle and slow. Tongues danced rather than battled. The kiss said _no need to rush_, but the eyes said _hurry the fuck up_. And without a single word spoken, Naruto was gone.

Sasuke leaned against the wall for a moment, collecting the thoughts Naruto had scattered to the far corners of his mind. The blond was such an enigma – even after all these years. Some days he was loud and obnoxious, others he was quiet and introspective. He had been clearly terrified about Sasuke's advances, but now that they were together he was insatiable. Sasuke raked his hand through his black locks and heaved a sigh as he continued up the stairs.

* * *

Sasuke sat on the examining table with a placated smirk. It was difficult to be the brooding bastard Jiraiya was used to seeing, Sasuke didn't feel like wearing that mask at the moment. So he sat with his hands on his knees and allowed Jiraiya to poke at him.

"You look well today," Jiraiya smiled at the pale boy.

Sasuke chose to ignore any implications, "I feel fine, _thanks_."

Jiraiya gave a light chuckle at the snide tone, "how did you like the sweat lodge?"

"It was... interesting," Sasuke's smirk grew, lighting his eyes.

The white-haired man rubbed the head of his stethoscope on his shirt before placing the instrument on Sasuke's chest, "not what you expected?"

Sasuke waited until the man had finished listening to his lungs before he replied, "well it wasn't complete bullshit, so no... not what I expected."

Jiraiya snorted and moved back to his bag, "and what about the sleep deprivation? How do you expect that will go?"

Sasuke shrugged as he buttoned up his shirt, "coffee with every meal and Red Bull in between... I expect a lot of twitching and exceptionally regular bowel movements."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "you haven't read the instructions yet? No stimulants are allowed. You are going to have to stay awake naturally."

"Naturally?" Sasuke looked up from his final button.

Jiraiya nodded, "whatever you can think of to stay awake... exercise, cold showers, video games. You will be with Naruto won't you? I'm sure you can think of ways to keep each other entertained."

The comment was innocent, which made Sasuke's smirk that much more devious. _Oh, I'm sure we can._

The raven-haired boy sauntered down the hall to 304 and rapped lightly on the door frame before letting himself in. Iruka watched as Sasuke gracefully dropped to the couch. The grad student moved slowly, cautiously – remembering the tension of their previous session.

He didn't waste any time dancing around the subject at hand, "tell me about the hallucination."

Sasuke appreciated the no-nonsense approach but answered objectively, "it was a strange experience. Especially that it was shared with Naruto. I didn't believe it was happening at first."

"Did you fight it?" Iruka tented his fingers in front of his mouth.

"Initially. But when it didn't go away I just let it happen," Sasuke smirked, "one of the smarter things I have done in a while."

Iruka cocked his head slightly, "why is that?"

Sasuke's eyes shifted away as he thought, "that thing... the hallucination. It was supposedly a projection of Naruto's subconscious. It offered some insights. It was odd, the thing did not seem to care much for me, but it clearly wanted to prove a point to Naruto about my worth."

"Your worth to Naruto?" Iruka tweaked his eyebrows in anticipation of the answer.

Sasuke nodded, "everybody keeps secrets from themselves. Naruto needed a push to understand how he felt... feels."

"What about you? What did you gain out of this?" Iruka's tone was curious.

_Naruto_. "I learned how I effect him and how he effects me," Sasuke answered with a shrug.

"And how is that?"

"Deeply."

* * *

Sasuke returned to his room to find a blond instead of a brunet and he was pleasantly surprised. After an amorous greeting by Naruto the two found themselves laying on the floor, Sasuke's bedding having been pulled off his mattress to provide some cushion. Their shirts were in a crumpled pile somewhere nearby, long forgotten. Sasuke laid on his back, Naruto nestled into his side with this head on a pale shoulder. The blond had been running his hand across Sasuke's side, traveling invisible paths; now it rested on Sasuke's denim clad hip. Pale fingers gently stroked Naruto's arm.

The blond licked his lips, attempting to regain some of the tingle that was slowly dissipating. His eyes traveled down the plane of Sasuke's torso and settled on the bulge between his legs. Naruto's hand slowly began to move, traveling in tiny circles that crept inwards. Sasuke didn't open his eyes, but an eyebrow arched high and a smile began to tug at his lips. _Smooth, Naruto_. As if the raven-haired boy wouldn't notice the movements or their obvious intention.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked down. Naruto's face was mostly obscured by a mop of yellow hair, but the pale boy was pretty sure he was biting his lip. His breathing had become quicker and more shallow – he was nervous.

"Wait," Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrist before the hand reached its destination, "are you sure you want to do this?"

Naruto looked up, his sapphire eyes were almost pained, "I can't fucking wait any more."

Sasuke's lips twitched into a small smile and he released the blond. Naruto's hand continued to travel, less stealthily now, until it found Sasuke's erection – trapped and straining under layers of fabric. The blond began to knead and found his hand held a small tremble.

Naruto began to wonder if this was what girls felt the first time they touched a dick - nervous and uncertain what to expect. His mind briefly traveled back to a time on his couch when he was fifteen – he remembered the way hands had fumbled around in the dark under a blanket while he and his girlfriend pretended to watch a movie. Those hands had been tentative as they explored – they weren't seasoned in handling Naruto's cock the way his own were. But it had been good anyway, the way the experimental touches offered different paces, grips and pressure.

His hand stopped kneading for a moment. _What if I'm only a mediocre masturbator? _ Naruto had never discussed technique with anybody, just did what felt natural. He took a few cues from pornos, but beyond that, he wasn't very creative. What if Sasuke knew things he didn't? Wanted things he didn't know about? It was somehow more embarrassing than under performing with somebody of the opposite sex – you didn't have the same parts, a learning curve was acceptable. What if Sasuke gave fantastic hand jobs? _How many has he given?_

A pale hand reached down for Naruto's, gripped it firmly and began to rub, "get out of your head."

And Naruto did. He snapped back to the present and felt the hard yet pliable length beneath his hand. Sasuke removed his own hand and unfastened the button to his jeans as it retreated. Naruto took the hint and released the clothed erection to tug the zipper down. He snaked his hand under the denim and into Sasuke's boxers.

Naruto was surprised by the hotness of what he found there. He wrapped his fingers around the hard length and immediately began to compare. The feeling was familiar but still so foreign; veins weren't in the right places, the size was similar – maybe a bit wider. Naruto tugged the erection loose from its confines and swallowed hard at the sight. The flesh was dark, not tan like Naruto's hand, but like a deep blush on pale skin. There was already a pearl of precum seeping up and without even thinking about it, Naruto brought his loose fist up to swipe his thumb along the slit. The cock pulsed and Naruto was overcome with a feeling of relief – _of course it wouldn't be so complicated_.

The blond began to make light strokes and Sasuke gave a half-moan, half-sigh. Naruto picked up his pace and gripped a little tighter. Sasuke hissed at a too hard tug and Naruto sucked in a breath, looking up for further instruction.

"Drawer," Sasuke nodded to his nightstand.

Naruto reluctantly dropped the hot flesh and scooted over towards the bed. He rummaged blindly through the drawer and pulled out a tube of chap stick, a spare phone battery and finally a small bottle of lube. The blond crawled back and straddled one of Sasuke's thighs. The pale boy lifted his head and watched as Naruto squirted a dime sized pool onto the tip of his cock. A tan hand reached out and smeared the liquid around. Sasuke's eyes fluttered closed and head fell back as his hard length was taken up by a firm grip that stroked him powerfully.

Naruto was no longer hesitant and it showed in the long, forceful pumps. He licked his lips and watched as Sasuke's hips jutted forward when he twisted his wrist. Naruto picked up the pace, his eyes flicked up as a moan ripped through Sasuke. The boy had his bottom lip clenched firmly between his teeth, his head turned to the side. He groaned again and Naruto smiled at the blush that grew on pale cheeks. _He has wanted this for so long_. It must have taken everything in Sasuke's arsenal to hold back from screaming wantonly and shooting off at the first touch. But he held out; he held his breath once the panting served him no more oxygen, and he fisted the blankets until the coil finally snapped. He came in a graveled grunt, not quite loud enough to be called a scream but far too loud to be a moan.

Naruto watched as Sasuke came down, his eyes shifted behind closed lids and his lips tweaked into a satisfied grin. When he finally turned to look at the blond his expression was content, his face placid and beautiful. Naruto didn't hesitate when he leaned down to kiss the pale boy, he didn't give a fuck when Sasuke's cum smeared against his bare stomach. The raven-haired boy returned the kiss with a moan and violent tongue clashing, and when the embrace brought Naruto's soiled hand to the back of Sasuke's head he couldn't be bothered to care.

Positions were quickly flipped and Sasuke clawed at Naruto's pants in desperate and infuriatingly inefficient movements. Sasuke caught Naruto in a bruising kiss as he tugged aggressively at the uncooperative clothes. The jeans and boxers finally moved down Naruto's thighs and Sasuke didn't even want to attempt to fumble with the bottle of lube; he licked his palm, supplying a thin layer of saliva. Naruto didn't mind, he liked the rough tug of a dry hand job.

Sasuke's grip wasn't as tight as Naruto was used to and his rhythm was strange. Strange but fantastic. He had a long upward stroke and two mini strokes at the head before traveling back down the length. Every once in a while he would twist his wrist, it was sporadic and every time Naruto's breath caught in his throat. His mind was only able to process one thought at a time.

_Oh God._

_Fuck that's good._

_Sasuke where have you been all my life?_

_Fuck...fuck...the head, work the head._

_Oh yeah, you have always been there._

_Oh fuck yeah, right there._

_Always been right there, where was I?_

_Faster...Sasuke faster._

_I should have come faster._

_Fuck...cum... I'm gonna cum._

The sound of Naruto's voice as he released shocked him. Had he been talking this whole time? He had no idea, but the smirk on Sasuke's face told him at least a few of those thoughts had leaked past his lips. Naruto could care less, he simply smiled back. There was no shame in it; it was like he was a virgin all over again – in a way he supposed he was.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! They finally touched each other in their swimsuit parts. XD **


	15. Holiday

**A/N: Thanks to all my dedicated readers and reviewers! My plot bunnies appreciate your offerings, please continue to provide your comments and I will continue to provide you with more sasunaru goodness. This is a pretty fluffy chapter... well fluffy to me anyway. About feelings and whatnot. I hope you enjoy and I promise things will get steamier as we progress.**

**Warnings: This chapter is sort of sweet, like a cupcake sprinkled with boyxboy action. Don't just lick the frosting off, eat the whole thing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I don't profit from this fic and I don't know how to bake so I hope this cupcake isn't overdone.**

* * *

The cafeteria was bustling, almost too loud for conversation. At first they didn't even bother with talking, they just sat in a companionable cacophony and ate. Sasuke ate his fries one at a time as he watched Naruto stuff a double cheeseburger into his mouth. _Pretty mouth_. And wide too, it could comfortably accommodate half a huge burger. _What else could fit in there?_ Grease was glistening provocatively around the rosy pink lips. _I'd like to smear something around that mouth._

"You got any plans for next week?" Naruto asked after swallowing.

_I wonder if he would spit or swallow?_

"Oi! Sasuke!" a tan hand waved in front of onyx eyes.

Sasuke brought his gaze back into focus, "what?"

"Next week? You going home?" Naruto returned to shoving fries down his throat.

_Doesn't have much of a gag reflex._ "Why would I be going home?" Sasuke fought to stay in the conversation.

"Thanksgiving break?" Naruto paused to give the pale boy a skeptical look.

"Oh," Sasuke's eyes seemed to flick on, "oh. I hadn't thought about it. I guess so."

Naruto huffed, "you haven't bought plane tickets yet?" the pale boy shrugged, "nice to be so fucking rich that last minute holiday plane tickets don't even faze you."

"They were the ones that chose to move. If they want me for the holidays they can pay for it," Sasuke smirked.

"Yeah," Naruto wore a small smile, "you could stay on this side of the country... come home with me."

Sasuke's eyes traveled across the blond; his cheeks dusted with a light pink, his eyes shimmering and refusing to meet Sasuke's gaze. Sasuke yawned as if bored by the conversation.

"Hn," he stretched, "why would I want to do that dobe?"

Naruto's eyes slit to a glare, though his cheeks remained flushed, "fuck you."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, "compelling reason."

Naruto smirked and sat back as he shoveled another fistful of fries into his mouth.

* * *

"Hello!" Naruto exclaimed as he pushed the front door open.

There was a commotion in the living room that quickly moved into the hallway. Kushina beamed as she hurried to the door and threw her arms around her son. Naruto chose to ignore her disheveled hair and displaced top and returned the hug. Minato pried her off and offered Naruto his own firm embrace.

Sasuke shifted his weight nervously and smiled politely while he prayed nobody would try to hug him. Naruto's parents knew the boy well enough to give him his space. Kushina grabbed him by the shoulders and smiled as she welcomed him and Minato gave him a hearty slap on the back as he ushered the boys down the hall.

"I know it was a long drive for you boys so we have no agenda for today," Kushina followed the boys to the stairs, "Sasuke we have made up the guest room for you."

They paused on the steps, Naruto three up on Sasuke. The blond looked down to Sasuke then over to his mother, "that's okay mom, Sasuke can stay in my room."

"Oh," her smile faltered for a moment, "okay. Where are you going to stay?"

Naruto fought to keep his grin minimal as his gaze turned back from his mother to Sasuke and then up the stairs, "my room."

Sasuke managed to retain his cool expression as he followed the blond up the steps. Kushina watched the boys drag their luggage up to the second story and her brow furrowed with something between confusion and concern. Minato only smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her back to the couch.

* * *

Sasuke unpacked his suitcase, he wasn't sure what to expect so he brought a little bit of everything – slacks and a nice shirt, some old jeans, sweaters, t-shirts and two pairs of shoes. Naruto threw his duffel bag on the floor next to his dresser, he had no idea what he had packed. He would later find that the bag contained only two pairs of jeans, three shirts, seven individual socks and one pair of boxers. He had been a little too excited when he was getting ready – apparently just dumping half a laundry bag into your luggage was not the best way to pack.

Naruto flopped down on his bed, still fitted with the hideous orange comforter, "ahhh, fuck... my mom."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "no thanks." He moved around the room with scrutinizing eyes.

The blond propped himself up on his elbows, "you think she thinks..."

The pale boy was standing in front of the collage wall, examining it closely, "not yet. Give her till the end of the week. You'll give us away eventually."

Naruto glared, but the gaze dropped before Sasuke turned around. Naruto laid back on his bed and chewed his lip as he considered what it would be like to come out to his parents. What did he even have to come out about? Was he gay or was he just sasukesexual? Did it make a difference? When Naruto finally sat back up he found Sasuke was standing at the bookcase next to the bed.

He tweaked his brow up, "you looking for something?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped to him for a moment, "no," then back to the bookcase, "I don't know. Do you... Naruto do you have a photo album?"

The blond blinked in confusion, "a photo album?"

Sasuke shook his head, "never mind."

* * *

Dinner had started out with the usual 'how do you like your classes?' chit chat. Naruto caught up on household news and he told his parents about school. A sort of tension built up with what Naruto chose to avoid. His parents had no way of knowing that there was something more going on, but Naruto still felt uneasy.

"This salad is delicious," Sasuke complimented once the the silence had drawn out.

Kushina smiled, "oh, thank you Sasuke. Its nothing special, just a tossed salad."

Naruto snorted and choked on his meatloaf, his cheeks tinting pink. He glanced over the the pale boy and smirked, "_you_ would like a tossed salad."

Sasuke's eyes widened for a second before he placed his fork on his plate and turned to the blond. His eyes were playful as he tweaked his brows suggestively, "yeah, I think I would."

Naruto's cheeks darkened even more, the heat spreading across his face. Sasuke took another bite of his salad with a triumphant smile. Kushina's questioning eyes darted between the two boys across the table. Minato, who had watched the exchange with an amused smile, leaned over to her and whispered briefly into her ear. Her eyes widened and face flushed to a deep red that matcher her hair.

"Boys! Not at the dinner table!" she exclaimed even as she tried to hide her laughter.

Minato chuckled as the scolded boys lowered their eyes and offered their apologies. Sasuke spared a glance over to Naruto and found him pursing his lips to hold back his smile. There was a teasing quality to Naruto's eyes as he returned Sasuke's stare. Dinner wasn't going to last too much longer.

* * *

The tissue sat on the sheets – crumpled, pure white except for the shadows formed by deep creases. Naruto studied the topography of the balled up paper that was filled with the essence of him and Sasuke. _It would still be damp inside_, he didn't know why the thought occurred to him. He reached out and flicked the soiled tissue off the mattress.

His body was still relaxed, still recovering from a strong and surprisingly prolonged orgasm. Sasuke had teased him some, drawn things out more than normal. Naruto considered he probably deserved it for teasing him at dinner.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's voice cracked from his dry throat. The pale boy hummed and rolled over, throwing an arm across the blond's waist, "do you like what we do? I mean..." he turned to Sasuke, forcing the raven-haired boy back, "do you want more?"

It seemed like a silly question to Naruto, even as he asked it. There was no doubt that Sasuke enjoyed the things that Naruto did to him – it was quite evident in his muffled moans and the contents of the tissue now on the floor. And of course he wanted more, a guy can't live of hand jobs and fellatio alone.

Sasuke propped himself up on an elbow and gazed down into solemn azure eyes, "I want whatever you are willing give me," his lip twitched into a small smile, "no more, no less."

Naruto smiled back, "I like what we do, but I know I want more... eventually. I _will_ want more."

It was like a promise for things to come. Unnecessary though it was, it still made Sasuke's smile widen. No doubt that eventually he would want more too, but he was content with what they had. It was uncomplicated, pure. It was being together without barriers or boundaries. It wasn't just sexual release, it was emotionally filling. Sasuke felt like a vessel being replenished every time he came with Naruto – as if he was emptying his essence to allow himself to be refilled with Naruto's. It was transcendent, though he would likely never use that word aloud. Sex, he imagined, would be like a hand job to the nth degree, and maybe he wasn't ready for that. That kind of emptying and refilling, it would affect him on a level much deeper – terrifyingly deep.

Sasuke planted a soft kiss of Naruto's shoulder and laid back down. _Terrifying_. Why was that so significant? What about being here – in this room, with this boy – made him contemplate his fears? He felt it when he first entered the space – not a sensation of fear, but a recognition that fears existed. Sasuke hadn't felt that trepidation with Naruto in months, he didn't even really feel it now – but he recognized that it existed, somewhere deep down. His gaze moved across the room, over the collage of posters and to the desk on the adjacent wall. His anxieties were buried, not gone but forgotten. Misplaced? No. Not removed either. They were locked away.

* * *

Minato cracked the door open and peered inside. The bed was a tangled mass of arms and legs under the blankets. It looked as if they had fallen asleep while wrestling,_ maybe they had_. He shut the door quietly and waited a moment before pounding on it.

Three hard knocks was followed by a booming baritone, "Get up! Breakfast!"

Naruto shot up in his bed. He tried to move but found his torso gripped firmly by Sasuke's arms, his legs twisted in Sasuke's. The blond looked over to the pale boy, _how could he sleep through that?_ Except he wasn't asleep. Sasuke's gaze bordered on possessive as Naruto struggled to free himself. The blond smiled as he fought to release himself and Sasuke held on tighter. Naruto wiggled and managed to free a leg, which he threw over the edge of the mattress. The blond hurled his weight over and went crashing to the floor. Sasuke let go just before he was dragged down.

"Teme!" The blond glared up from ground. His hip hurt from the collision and the hardwood was cold on his exposed skin.

Sasuke stretched leisurely and got off the bed with considerably more grace. He crossed the room to his drawer in Naruto's dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans. The pale boy watched as Naruto got up, rubbed his hip and winced. Sasuke finished pulling on his t-shirt and walked back to the blond. He grabbed two hand fulls of firm ass and yanked Naruto into him. Sasuke peered over Naruto's shoulder and brought his hand around to explore the small bit of body that was still covered by boxers alone.

"Here?" he rubbed his palm against Naruto's hip. The blond nodded with a pout. Sasuke rubbed the spot firmly and spoke into Naruto's neck,"sorry."

He wasn't really sorry, but it was okay because Naruto wasn't really hurt. It was a nice excuse to get close, as if they hadn't been close all night. Sasuke continued to rub the spot, though not really, he was actually grinding Naruto against him. The blond recognized this and offered no complaint. Sasuke could feel Naruto's cock slowly climbing. He nuzzled into the tanned neck, let the messy blond locks tickle his face and closed his eyes.

"Breakfast! Now! Next time I _will_ send your mother!" Sasuke's eyes shot open as Minato's voice penetrated the quiet room.

Naruto growled at the door and Sasuke smirked as he released the blond, "Get dressed, I'll go appease them. Oh, and don't you even fucking _think_ about doing anything with that," his gaze shot down to Naruto's hard on, "we are going to save that for later."

Sasuke disappeared out the door and Naruto groaned as he put on the pants he had worn the day before. He stole one of Sasuke's shirts – he recognized the black polo from the fateful night at Shukuba – and tugged it on. It was snug but fit well enough.

The mood at breakfast was light, less formal, as they sat around the island in the kitchen instead of at the dining room table. There was chatter and teasing and attempts to do the newspaper crossword as a group. When plates were being moved to the sink Naruto announced he was going to take a shower. Azure eyes lingered on Sasuke for a moment as he spoke and moved out of the kitchen. The raven-haired boy acknowledged the statement and brought his glass to sit among the other dirty dishes.

Naruto hurried up the stairs and Sasuke closed his eyes, shaking his head. _ Fuck the end of the week_, at this rate his parents were going to find out before the turkey was in the oven. Sasuke decided against joining the blond in the shower. It was a painful decision, it went against all his instincts. Those base desires told him that upstairs there was a naked, slippery and highly fuckable blond. But Sasuke's higher functions told him that it would be too suspicious – besides no matter _how_ fuckable Naruto may be, that wasn't on the menu anyway. The pale boy resigned himself to helping Kushina wash dishes until he heard the footsteps above his head that told him Naruto was out of the shower and back in his room.

Sasuke excused himself and went upstairs. He knocked, for appearances, and waited until Naruto gave the okay before he entered. The blond, now in Sasuke's boxers as well, pulled up his pants in frustrated jerks. Sasuke looked contrite, his dark eyes warm as his lips curled into a small smile.

"You don't think they would notice both of us missing and the bathroom door locked?" Sasuke moved toward the blond, "you know they say bathroom acoustics allow sounds to carry much farther than any other room in the house."

"Who says that?" Naruto aggressively zipped up.

Sasuke brought his hands to Naruto's torso, his skin was warm and still a little damp. The pale hands wandered around to Naruto's back, fingertips tracing lines that had the blond trembling in suppressed laughter. Sasuke leaned in, his lips brushing against Naruto's ear.

"It won't be any easier for us to fool around if they find out," his voice was low and soft and it sent shivers down Naruto's spine, "sure we won't have to hide it, but then _we'll_ know that _they_ know and where's the fun in that?" Sasuke's tongue darted out quickly, flicking against what skin in could find, "besides, I don't want to think about your parents wondering where my hands are every time we are in a different room."

Sasuke emphasized his point by slipping into Naruto's still unbuttoned pants. One hand on his ass while the other curled fingers around Naruto's budding erection.

"Hmm?" Sasuke asked and Naruto nodded his head, he understood, "good."

Sasuke pulled away and finished buttoning the blond's jeans. He offered Naruto a chaste kiss which he blond accepted graciously. It was too short and too soft but Naruto took what he could get. Sasuke reached behind the blond and pulled a pair of boxers out from the drawer. Naruto frowned as the pale boy left for the bathroom. He knew Sasuke was right, but that didn't make him any more appreciative of the aching in his pants.

* * *

When Sasuke returned to Naruto's room the blond was nowhere to be found. Sasuke traveled down the stairs and noted the silence throughout the house. The living room was empty as was the kitchen. The pale boy was staring out the window, arching his head to see if there was a car in the driveway, when he felt a presence behind him.

"They went to the store," Minato stated blandly.

Sasuke jumped, a little – nothing too embarrassing – and turned to face Naruto's father. God how he hated being alone with Naruto's father. Minato had to sense the tension, probably always had. He smile and walked past the raven-haired boy toward the sliding glass door. He left it open as he walked out to the porch and leaned against the railing. Sasuke recognized the invitation and debated whether or not to take it.

He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before heading outside. He followed Minato's cue and leaned into the railing, resting his weight on his elbows and crossing his wrists, letting this hands dangle. It was warm for late November, the sun was crawling up the sky. The large back yard was scattered with trees and bushes, their shadows slowly shrinking.

Minato cleared his throat, "so Sasuke, how is school treating you?"

The raven-haired boy nodded as he answered, "well enough."

"You...uh," he chuckled to himself, "you gettin' good use out that talented tongue?"

Sasuke snorted, he relaxed his shoulders, "oh yeah," he smirked, "everyday."

Minato gave the boy a sideways glance, it lingered for a moment than returned to scanning the landscape, "good... good."

A silence fell between them, interrupted only by the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves. Sasuke wasn't sure when it began to change, but there was no doubt when it crossed into awkward. Minato wasn't saying something, not that he didn't have anything to say. Whatever it was that he wanted to say was palpable but remained unspoken. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably on his feet, the anxiety was creeping back in on him.

"It must be a great relief," Minato finally said, his eyes remained focused on a distant tree.

"What?" Sasuke queried, though he had an idea.

"Waiting for so long. You must have considered giving up at some point," he finally turned to face the pale boy, "I'm glad you stuck it out."

Sasuke furrowed his brow, tried to play dumb, "I don't know what–"

"Naruto can be a little thick headed at times. It isn't that he is stupid, he just doesn't get subtlety. His mother is the same way. You know we were dating for three months before she figured it out?" Minato paused to chuckle, "but I knew what he had with you was different from the very first fight. You became the center of his world. Everyday,_ 'Sasuke is such a jerk' _or_ 'guess what Sasuke said today'._ Sasuke this, Sasuke that; Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," the man smiled knowingly, "then you stopped fighting but he still talked about you all the time. That is when I realized my son's obsession wasn't based in rivalry – but in adoration. He's always loved you Sasuke... in some way. Loved to hate you, loved to fight with you, loved to hang out with you."

"I-I, don't..." Sasuke was no longer playing dumb, he really had no idea what Minato was talking about.

"He missed you so much when you left for your internship. He never said so, but I could tell – it was as if he wasn't as bright, didn't shine like he did when you were around," Minato turned back to the yard, "I have never seen him beam as much as he has in these last 24 hours."

* * *

The trip to the store had been successful. Kushina had picked up the last of her supplies for the Thanksgiving dinner that was less than a day away and Naruto had picked up some new clothes. Good thing too, Sasuke hadn't packed enough underwear to dress both of them.

The day was lazy; sitting around and talking, watching bad daytime TV, snacking and napping. It was so relaxed and Sasuke was glad he had decided against going to see his parents. Sure they had been disappointed, but Fugaku and Itachi would be tied up with business anyway – the holiday would be short if it happened at all. Here Sasuke could lounge, it was an activity he wasn't very practiced in, but it was a hobby he was more than willing to learn.

Minato's words haunted Sasuke even as he laid on the couch, feet resting in Naruto's lap. Not a bad haunting, not the kind that left you tense and anxious. This was a deep lingering that surfaced whenever it got the opportunity. Sasuke knew how he felt about Naruto, but he'd had no idea what Naruto felt about him. He could make an educated guess – based on the way the blond acted. The way he touched and spoke and how he reacted to being touched and spoken to.

Sasuke knew Naruto liked him, liked their newly redefined relationship – but love? If he did love Sasuke, was it the same way the Sasuke loved him? _With every breath? Every pulse? _ Sasuke supposed not, it wasn't reasonable to assume Naruto would feel so strongly when this was all still so new to him. It wasn't like he pined for Sasuke the way the raven-haired boy had for him – for years and years with nothing but hope keeping him going. _But maybe he had_. Minato had said Naruto had loved him from the beginning, just in a different way. Maybe Naruto's love had evolved over the years where Sasuke's had always existed in the same way. Did that make it any less valuable? _No, it doesn't_. That much Sasuke was sure of, whatever Naruto felt – it was worth... everything.


	16. Thanksgiving

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, the squees and the demands for more. **** I have determined my readers like fluff. :) ** This chapter is less fluffy overall, but it does have a moment of squishiness around the middle. I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review! The comments from this last chapter had me hyper focused and I was able to overcome some major writer's block. So keep it up!

**Warnings: A couple of nice limes this chapter. That is to say - genital manipulation will occur between two consenting males. If you don't like... you are in the wrong place. **

**Disclaimer: Some day, many years from now, some desperate studio executive is going to green light a live action Naruto... when that happens I pray to God that what was once a rabid fangirl is one of the screenwriters. I hope that she remembers the things I have done here and takes inspiration from my words. Then and only then could I say I own even the smallest bit of Naruto.**

* * *

Wine with dinner had been a good idea. Wine with dinner turned into wine by the outdoor fire pit. But beer was better for outdoor fires. Outdoor fires were great, but November evenings were still cold. Hot tubs were perfect for November evenings, and they went well with beer too.

There were no lights, not even in the hot tub. The only source of illumination came from the moon and the stars – and that was enough. It had been loud at first, laughing and splashing – but now it was quiet except for the jets. The last bottle of beer was dropped to the ground, making a hollow clank. Sasuke was reclined against a jet, head leaning back against the edge, arms resting on the rim. Naruto found his way between pale legs and snuggled up with his back to Sasuke's stomach, his head resting under the pale boy's chin. He hadn't thought about his parents as he positioned himself; he just settled in and grabbed Sasuke's arms to wrap around him.

Sasuke, of course, did think about Naruto's parents. They were only a few feet away after all. He turned his head slightly, just enough to see them without making it too obvious he was looking. Their figures were dark, washed in a faint blue light. Kushina was in the opposite corner and Minato sat in the middle of the bench. He was watching her as he rubbed her feet. She wasn't looking at him though, her head was back and Sasuke guessed her eyes were closed. Good thing, because if they were open and her head was up she would be looking at him as he hugged her son.

Sasuke wondered if Kushina knew about the two of them. She certainly didn't act like knew anything, but maybe she did and just didn't care. No, she had seemed a little perturbed the day before when they discussed sleeping arrangements and she didn't seem embarrassed about the tossed salad incident because she was thinking about its implications – she had been embarrassed because that was an embarrassing thing to have said at the dinner table. Sasuke didn't think Kushina knew. Should he tell Naruto that Minato did? No, because then he would have to tell him how his dad found out and that was personal. Sasuke wouldn't like it if he found out Itachi had told Naruto about how Sasuke felt – though he doubted that even Itachi truly understood the magnitude of his feelings. But for the sake of argument, he wouldn't have appreciated that kind of knowledge being shared without his consent.

Naruto wrapped Sasuke's arms around him tighter, bringing his body closer. His back rubbed against Sasuke's groin. At first the raven-haired boy thought maybe Naruto didn't notice, then he pushed himself back again... and again. The movement was mostly obscured by the bubbling water and Sasuke was grateful, because he didn't want the blond to stop. A tan hand slipped off Sasuke's arm and moved silently through the water, behind Naruto and slid against submerged skin until it found its way under swim trunks. Sasuke's eyes closed slowly, lids dropping more and more with each stroke of Naruto's hand. It had to be the alcohol, there was no other reason Sasuke would allow things to go this far given the present company.

Sasuke wished he could pull off his swim trunks and release his cock to be properly handled. Then he remembered that they weren't his shorts, he had hadn't packed his. These were borrowed. They were Naruto's from high school. He had recognized them, a bad tropical pattern - brown with orange flowers. Naruto also had to borrow a pair, since Sasuke had taken his. Naruto's were white with flames coming up from the hem. They were Minato's. _Fuck!_ Sasuke pulled Naruto free from his grip and pushed him away. He was breathing a little too hard, his cheeks flushed from more than the heat of the water.

Minato noticed the commotion and turned to look at the boys across the hot tub. They appeared to be glaring at each other and the man was sure he could guess why. But he didn't want to guess, he didn't want to know.

"Better call it a night," Minato spoke into the quiet darkness, "big day tomorrow."

Naruto relaxed at the sound of his father's voice. Not because he found the timbre soothing, but because it rooted him back in reality and he understood why Sasuke had pushed him away. He grunted some sort of agreement and pulled himself out of the water. The cold air hit him immediately and he wrapped himself in an oversized beach towel. Sasuke followed suit, moving quickly to cover himself. _Fucking trunks always clinging to your dick_. And at the moment, he had a lot for the material to cling to. They scurried back inside, escaping the cold air and what would certainly be disapproving gazes if anybody noticed Sasuke's condition.

Once safely secluded in the sanctuary of Naruto's room they stood still; water dripping from their damp hair, rolling down their skin before being soaked up by tightly wrapped towels. Sasuke dropped his towel first, it pooled at his feet. Naruto's eyes wandered over the pale body, skin tight and cold and still a little wet. Sasuke's swim trunks were still clinging to him, his erection less prominent but present nonetheless. Naruto let go of his towel and allowed the air to hit him – it was much warmer than outside, but it still sent a chill. He wanted to get warm and wanted that warmth to come from another body. It only took two paces for him to reach Sasuke and wrap his arms around the cold, pale torso. They would warm up soon, Naruto would make sure of it.

* * *

The first time Sasuke blew Naruto, just over a week ago, it had been embarrassingly fast. The blond blushed fiercely when he came in two sucks. It wasn't like he had never gotten head before – it was those fucking eyes. When Sasuke looked up from between Naruto's legs with those searing eyes all the blond could do was gasp and shudder and then it was over.

The next time Naruto was prepared. He kept his eyes closed as that fucking glorious tongue wrapped around him, swirled and lapped. Naruto bit his white-knuckle fists when Sasuke sucked long and hard. When he was ready to cum, and only then, did he open his eyes and look down at the raven-haired boy. It didn't take long.

This time the two slightly cold, somewhat inebriated boys would try something new. It was Naruto's idea, one created out of necessity. If Naruto couldn't look at Sasuke while pale lips were wrapped around his cock, then it stood to reason, that he should occupy himself.

Sasuke made no arguments when Naruto crawled down the pale body, dragging his tongue along the way. He stared up at the erection that was suspended just above his face and smiled when he felt that sinful tongue flick across the slit of his dick. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's cock and guided it into his mouth, let it slide along his tongue until his lips wrapped around. He pushed his head up, sliding the hard length farther in and then sucked as he drew back. It was a little awkward – upside down – but still quite manageable.

The blond was swirling his tongue around the head. Sasuke would have smiled if he could. Naruto Uzumaki loved to swirl, it was so fucking poetic. Soon the swirling gave way to bobbing and Sasuke was once again reminded that Naruto indeed had little to no gag reflex. The pale boy groaned and sucked harder. Hands began to wander up Naruto's legs, fingers trailing lightly up the backs of his thighs. Sasuke cupped Naruto's sac and began to message. His palm pressed into the balls and he drug his fingers against the taint. Sasuke tugged gently at first and then harder and harder with each forceful suck. He wasn't worried, he knew Naruto liked it a little rough. The feeling under Sasuke's fingers changed, the sac tightened. Then the swelling throb and pulsing. Sasuke didn't back off as Naruto came, he took deep breaths through his nose and swallowed; kept swallowing until the pulsing stopped.

Sasuke wasn't bothered by the fact the Naruto released him as he moaned. He enjoyed the hot breath against his skin as the blond panted, face buried between Sasuke's legs. Naruto nuzzled Sasuke's taint and tilted his head to suck one of Sasuke's balls.

In the haze of his orgasm the blond remembered something. Something embarrassing and a little scary. Something that seemed exceptionally right at the moment.

He moved to the side and grabbed one of Sasuke's hips, rolling him over. The pale boy furrowed his brow but did not object, he would see where this was going before speaking. Naruto reached between Sasuke's legs, finding the straining erection he had left and stroked it awkwardly from behind. The raven-haired boy lifted himself up to give Naruto more room to work. As his right hand continued to pump, the left found its way to Sasuke's ass and gripped it tightly.

Naruto had quite a view, one that he hadn't been privy to before. There was determination set in his eyes as he stared at Sasuke's ass, or more specifically, the pink and puckered hole. Naruto gulped audibly, then prayed Sasuke hadn't been able to hear that. His right hand never stopped its simple rhythmic stroking while his left pulled gently at the firm mass of muscle. Naruto didn't think, he just plunged forward.

His tongue moved haphazardly between Sasuke's cheeks, and there was a gasp on the other side of the bed. Sasuke bucked back, pushing his ass further into Naruto's face. It was so much sloppier than a blow job, or maybe it was just Naruto's inexperience. But Sasuke had to bury his face into the bed to stifle his moans, so Naruto couldn't be doing too much wrong. He let his tongue roll against the tight hole, circled it once and then slid the slick muscle up Sasuke's crack. Naruto heard curses being shouted into the mattress and the blond decided to go for broke. The tongue was dragged back to the puckered entrance and lapped it a few times before pointing and pressing in. Two flicks against the muscled walls and Sasuke screamed as he came. He cursed Naruto and God and himself as hot streams shot onto the bed spread. Sasuke's relationship with that hideous orange blanket would never be the same.

* * *

The kitchen was a flurry of activity, which was really saying something considering Kushina was alone in the room. Occasionally she would call for assistance with chopping, peeling or tasting – but by and large she kept the men out. You couldn't hardly sneak in for a drink let alone try to get a snack – if you tried, you risked a hard smack with a wooden spoon and a few choice words.

None of the guys were big football fans, instead they settled on a Star Wars marathon. Minato sat back in the la-z-boy and nursed a beer, Sasuke and Naruto sat on the couch with a respectable distance between them. Kushina appeared – green apron soiled with flour, grease and what her dinner guests prayed was cranberry sauce – and stood in front of the television.

"Dinner is served," she smiled, hands on her hips.

The spread was impressive, far too much for four people. They served themselves and sat down, Minato and Kushina opposite Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke eyed his plate greedily and lifted his fork, taking his time to decide where to start.

"I know you are growing boys but we have traditions," Kushina shifted her gaze to the pale boy whose expression turned to a frustrated pout, "I'm thankful to have my son here with me today and that we get to share this meal with an old friend – it has been too long since you were last here Sasuke."

Kushina smiled and Sasuke returned it with a strangely bashful grin. Minato hummed and tapped his chin in thought, "I'm thankful for family and friends and..." his eyes shifted between the boys opposite him, "the bonds we form in the most unexpected places and surprising ways."

Naruto chewed his lip, eyes darting around the table, "I'm thankful for extra credit and bad dates and fist fights. I'm thankful for," he turned to Sasuke, "foxes."

Kushina looked perplexed for a moment, then shook her head and sighed. Expectant eyes turned to Sasuke. He had a deer-caught-in-headlights look to him and he shifted his gaze around the table.

"I uh..." he tapped his fork against his plate, "I'm thankful for my pride," his eyes traveled back up, focusing on Minato, "... that I am too stubborn to give up. But mostly I am thankful for this chance."

The blonds at the table smiled knowingly, Kushina pursed her lips decided against probing any further. There was some secret those three shared and she didn't want to ruin the moment by being nosy. She waited for a few seconds before smiling brightly and giving the all clear to dig in.

* * *

There was no propriety in the post-gorging living room congregation. Minato stretched out on the couch, Kushina reclined in the chair next to him. Naruto was sprawled out on the floor, Sasuke's head resting on the blond's bloated stomach. The marathon had cycled but nobody cared enough to move for the remote. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... something happened, Sasuke had no idea – he fell asleep.

Obsidian eyes blinked blearily when Sasuke felt his head being shifted. Naruto was cradling him as he moved, and Sasuke turned to face him.

"Thirds," the blond said with a grin.

Sasuke smiled back and stretched out across the carpet. Naruto looked around briefly and then back down to the raven-haired boy, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Sasuke's. The kiss lingered and when Naruto finally pulled back he found hands tangled in his hair prohibited him from getting too far. Sasuke pulled him back down for a deeper embrace. Sasuke's mouth was a little tart, he'd had an extra helping of cranberry sauce – Naruto soaked it in with his tongue as it played around in the moist cavern.

Minato padded quietly into the living room, plate in hand. He stopped mid-stride at the sight of his son tonguing the pale boy on the floor. Minato considered announcing his presence, but Naruto looked too damn happy – he chose instead to do an about face and eat his plate in the kitchen. Kushina would likely appreciate the company anyway.

Naruto never noticed his father's presence, brief though it had been. He finally pulled back and chuckled, "what if somebody walked in on us like this?"

Sasuke smirked, "tell them you are giving me mouth-to-mouth... I choked on some turkey and you were doing CPR."

"You don't do CPR when somebody is choking... though I suppose that could be a good excuse if we were doing something else..." the blond smirked back.

"Something tells me using your dick to dislodge food isn't going to become a certified technique," Sasuke smiled and lifted his head off the floor, "come here."

Naruto wanted to resist, he really was a little worried his parents might walk in any minute. But Sasuke's hooded eyes and parted lips couldn't be refused. He kept the kiss short and relatively decent before pulling away and getting to his feet. Sasuke let his head thud back against the floor as the blond retreated to the kitchen.

* * *

That night, in Naruto's bed, there was an atmosphere of reverence. There was no desperate fondling, no rhythmic movements that were merely means to an end. There was still touching, but it was in appreciation and exploration. Fingertips ghosted over skin, mouths caressed flesh. There was sighs and giggles and tiny mewls. New places were being touched, and familiar places touched in new ways. After some time, breaths turned more ragged and heartbeats became harder, but there was no sense of urgency. Skin became sticky with a fine layer of sweat, the musk of arousal seeping from pores.

Sasuke had Naruto in a strong grip, a firm stroke. It was the most determined action that had taken place all night but it still felt leisurely. Like a steady current, not rushing to anywhere in particular but slowly moving along – following the path of least resistance. Naruto moaned and stretched out his arms, hands wandering along the sheets before crawling up Sasuke's arms. He could feel the muscles moving; flexing and extending in that constant rhythm. Tan hands fell off pale arms and laid listless next to Naruto's body. Sasuke was a drug; his touch and softly spoken words were a searing liquid delivered by hands and mouth like the sweet prick of a needle. He could feel Sasuke inside of him. _Inside me?_

Naruto's eyes shot open, nothing should be _inside_. But there, as clearly as he felt the fingers wrapped around him, Naruto knew he felt a finger inside him. It wasn't much, if he cared to estimate he would have guessed a knuckle and a half – but he didn't care to estimate. Wide cobalt eyes peered down and Sasuke looked back with an expression of apologetic surprise. The same look a kid might have if he got caught playing soccer in the house – guilty, but only because they were found out, not because they felt bad about it. Naruto didn't say a word, he just stared and continued to take ragged breaths as Sasuke continued to pump. That pseudo guilty expression was replaced by a solid resolve as Sasuke bit his lower lip and pushed his finger in further.

There was a grunt and then Naruto's head fell back. His eyes bulged slightly before clenching shut. Sasuke's expression softened – still determined, but tinted with concern. There was nothing he could do, he was adequately lubricated and he couldn't make his finger any smaller.

"Naruto," the throaty whisper caused the blond to whimper in response, "breathe."

The digit wiggled and Naruto gasped. Another breath was met with another stroke. Naruto's respirations set a slow pace, with each inhale the finger moved deeper and each exhale found the intrusion retreating. The breaths grew stronger, steadier, faster. Groans mixed with gasps and soon pleasure was mingling with pain.

Sasuke considered adding another finger but decided against it. He was only testing the waters after all, no need to push things too far. No need to get greedy. _Maybe next time._ But Sasuke would not leave the blond until he had achieved one thing. He shifted his angle, bent his wrist to drag his finger against the top wall. Sasuke pulled out applying more pressure than when he sank back in. The digit explored the muscled channel until it found a change in texture. _There_. The finger pressed again, stroked the bulge in the wall.

Naruto had become comfortable with the internal ministrations. After the initial shock and pain it really wasn't so bad. He'd always liked friction. Just when he thought he had gotten used to the intrusion Sasuke decided to change things up. His movements became less about deeper penetration and more focused on contact. Naruto wasn't entirely sure where it was going until it happened.

That single finger, that pale and slender digit, found heaven. It had to be heaven because it made Naruto see white. Sparks that blurred his vision and wrapped him in a searing hot cocoon. That single finger filled his world with a blessed nothingness, expanding all around him.

Screaming brought Naruto back to reality, back to this plane of existence where he was in his bed with a beautiful raven-haired boy whose being was not entirely his own – it was mingled with Naruto's. Naruto's chest was heaving, his throat felt like he had swallowed glass. Sasuke looked scared. Sasuke never looked scared. It caused a twinge of fear in Naruto.

Sasuke didn't move. One hand was still pressed against Naruto's ass, the other was covered in the remnants of pleasure. The fear disappeared when Sasuke closed his eyes.

"W-what are you doing?" the blond asked hesitantly, breathily.

"Praying," Sasuke deadpanned and opened his eyes, "that your parents don't bust in here."

"I was loud?" Naruto croaked.

Sasuke's expression was simultaneously amused and bewildered, "yeah. You were loud. If you had neighbors they would probably be calling the cops because it sounded like you were dying."

Naruto smiled weakly, "I think I was."

Sasuke smirked and finally removed his hands. He picked up a towel left over from his morning shower and wiped himself clean before doing the same for Naruto. He crawled over the tanned body and nuzzled into Naruto's neck.

"I can honestly say, I wasn't expecting that," he smiled into the skin.

Naruto huffed a laugh, "me neither. What the hell was that? I mean... any of that. Where did that come from?"

"Did you like it?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Do I have to answer that?" Naruto retorted. His limbs finally felt like they could move again, he brought his hands up to wrap around Sasuke's back.

Sasuke gave a half-laugh, half-sigh, "it just felt right. Like the timing was perfect and you would be... receptive."

Naruto pushed the pale boy up, questions swirling in his eyes as they met Sasuke's, "receptive?"

Sasuke pursed his lips, perhaps that wasn't the best word, "just... you know. Getting fingered the first time can be... awkward. It didn't feel like it would be awkward."

That answer only spurred more questions, "so have... Sasuke, have you...?"

The raven-haired boy snorted before he caught the seriousness in the azure eyes before him, "wait... really?" Naruto shrugged in response, "I mean, I waited for you... but I didn't _wait_ for you."

"Oh..." the blond replied despondently.

Sasuke pressed his lips to Naruto's cheek and sat back, "I never truly gave up on you. But there were times when I felt... stupid. And when I felt stupid I did stupid things. I can't say I regret them, but I did feel guilty... still do."

"I'm sorry," Naruto spoke before he realized how odd it sounded.

"You don't have to be sorry," Sasuke's eyes were warm, "I was a coward. For not admitting how I felt and for fucking people I didn't care about."

More questions, "people? Like, not just guys?"

Sasuke shrugged, "during my internship. Itachi was relentless and again," he pointed to himself, "coward. So I hooked up with a few girls. I knew after that though; that I wasn't really attracted to women. And for a long time, there was nobody but you. But on the days I felt particularly hopeless I tried to find some consolation," he smiled weakly, "it was never very good though. I would have been better off jacking it to thoughts of you."

Naruto absorbed this new information. He took his time processing it, deciding how he felt about it. In the end, he found it didn't really bother him. He'd had his share of one night stands, Sasuke was allowed to have some too. The idea did create an image in Naruto's mind, one that was a little disturbing. Not for its implications, but because it brought about yet another question – one that Naruto really should have considered before but never had. Perhaps his mind was purposefully avoiding it.

"So..." Naruto began, "you... um..." he shifted beneath the pale boy and a dull throb below his waist accented his unasked question, "you prefer..."

While Sasuke did enjoy watching Naruto squirm, he didn't want to make the moment any more uncomfortable than it had to be, "yeah, I top."

Naruto's eyes shifted to the side for a moment before he brought them to meet Sasuke's steady gaze, "every time?"

A smirk crept across pale lips, "every time."


	17. Plan C

**A/N: Thanks to everybody that reviewed! I didn't realize that last chapter was going to be such a hot topic. I really appreciate all the opinions put forth on the subject and I can honestly say it has helped me to move past my writer's block. Nonetheless, this story has always been and will continue to be a SasuNaru. **

**Now... on to this chapter. It was originally one of my shortest chapter to date and I debated on whether or not to combine it with the next (which was only slightly longer). I have decided to give my beloved readers one long chapter. I think it will help to answer some of the questions posed in reviews... and of course it means juicy lemons are even closer. So enjoy and if you want more citrus, remember to review!**

**Warnings: Plenty of implied boyxboy but not much in the way of limes.**

**Disclaimer: Nope.**

* * *

Their bags were packed, leftovers were stored in a Styrofoam cooler in the trunk, the only thing missing was a certain raven-haired boy. Naruto searched the main floor with no success, he trotted up the stairs and pushed open the door to his room. On the other side he saw Sasuke on his knees, rifling through Naruto's desk. The blond lifted a questioning brow and suddenly remembered their first day here – when Sasuke asked about a photo album.

His huff of realization was audible and Sasuke turned quickly. His onyx eyes were wide; he looked embarrassed and confused. Naruto cleared his throat and walked into the room.

"Looking for something?" His tone was teasing and it brought a frown to Sasuke's face.

He wanted to say 'no', but that would be an obvious lie. Instead he just sat back and stared at the empty drawer. Well, not actually empty – but filled with nothing of interest.

"It's a journal, with a lock. Right?" Naruto took a seat next to the pale boy, "did you find the key?"

Sasuke's confusion returned, "...No."

Naruto smiled, "Do you know what's in the journal?" Sasuke shook his head, "Then why do you want to find it so bad?"

"I... need to," Sasuke pursed his lips, "something has been itching in my mind since we got here. I know there are answers," his confusion turned desperate, "answers to questions I don't know, but I know they are important. It doesn't make any sense. I haven't... I don't remember ever..."

"You did," Naruto interrupted, "just not here. Not in _this_ room. Well, it was this room... but it was in your mind."

Sasuke brow knotted tighter, "what does that mean?"

Naruto shrugged and looked above the desk, out the window, "I may have planted one of those post-hypnotic thingamajigs," his eyes traveled back to Sasuke's – they were slowly heating and slitting. He sported his cheesiest grin, "Oops."

"You _what_?" Sasuke's glare was now in full force.

"I didn't know that was what I was doing at the time. I was just trying to help you," his smile turned genuine and apologetic, "You said you were scared of losing somebody important to you, that you liked them but didn't know how they felt about you. So I told you to write down all your fears in that journal and lock it away. I told you that once you left the journal behind those fears wouldn't be able to follow you."

Sasuke's gaze fell and he studied his hands, "So..." he brought his eyes back up, "the reason I was finally able to..."

"Hit on me," Naruto interjected.

"Yeah," Sasuke deadpanned, before continuing, "It was because of you? I mean, I wanted to tell you... for years. But the reason I finally overcame my cowardice, was because you tinkered around in my mind?"

"Yup," Naruto grinned.

"As terrifying as that idea is..." the pale boy laughed lightly, "I guess I ought to thank you."

Naruto shrugged, "I didn't realize it was such a selfish thing when I did it. I didn't know that special person was... me. But now that I know... I ought to thank me too."

Sasuke smirked, uncrossed his legs and brought his weight to rest on his hands. Naruto leaned back, away from the face that was inching toward his. The pale boy began to crawl forward and Naruto fell back as he retreated. The blond was reclined on the floor, propping himself up on his elbows. Sasuke straddled him, his nose just inches from Naruto's. He tilted his head and pushed forward more, pale lips ghosted over rosy pink.

The door creaked as it was opened further. There was a gasp and a muffled apology carried on a feminine voice. Naruto slipped off his elbows and crashed to the floor.

Sasuke cursed in his head. _Why the fuck do people always have to interrupt us? _

"Mom!" Naruto shouted and twisted to look behind him.

_Is there a sadistic competition among Naruto's friends and family?_

"I-I'm so sorry... I didn't know..." Kushina's hand moved from her mouth to her eyes.

_Good God, nobody tell Itachi about it. He would win. _

Naruto scrambled to his feet, leaving Sasuke on his hands and knees above empty space, "geez, mom... you don't need to cover your eyes. We're not doing anything."

_He would win and I would die of sexual frustration._

The blond ran to his mother, pulling her hands away from her flushed face, "its okay," his sapphire eyes shimmered, "Sasuke and I are... we're–"

"Going to be late," Minato stepped up behind his wife, took her by the shoulders and squeezed reassuringly, "unless you want to be driving in the dark."

Kushina blinked rapidly, her eyes glassy, "y-yes," she stammered, "we don't want you on the highways at night."

Naruto's eyes were filled with guilt and his gut a little bit of resentment – but he didn't let that show. He didn't want to tell his family yet, not until he was confident there was something worth telling. But certainly, when the time came, he didn't want it to be like this. His mom was a very accepting person, he had no reason to fear her reaction – but he knew she had dreams of grand kids and passing down family recipes. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her they could always adopt and he would learn to cook. But a hand on his back caused his breath to catch in his throat.

"I'm sorry Kushina," Sasuke's voice was soft and sincere, "that wasn't... right. We wanted to wait until we knew what we had before we told you," his gaze moved to meet Minato's as well, "we were not trying to... deceive you."

Kushina's eyes were wild with emotion, but the tone in Sasuke's voice seemed to quell them, "No. No of course not. I..." she looked back to Naruto, the hurt in his eyes bled into her, "oh God. Sweetie, no," she cupped his cheeks, "its fine. Just a shock is all. If you are happy... that is all I want."

Naruto's eyebrows tweaked, his lips twitched into a small smile, "I'm happy."

"It's settled then!" Minato smiled at his son from over Kushina's fiery red head, "you are happy, we are happy for you, and it really is getting late."

There was a slight tremble in Kushina's voice as she laughed. She brought her hands up to her husbands and nodded as she took a step back. Naruto walked out of his room, Sasuke trailing close behind. Minato and Kushina followed them down the stairs and through the hall. Hugs were exchanged at the door, smiles and waves as the boys got into Sasuke's car. Naruto's parents watched as they drove away, Kushina sighed deeply.

"You knew," she said as she watched tail lights fade.

"Before either of them did," he smiled and looked down at her.

She turned and slapped him on the chest. She was shaking her head as they shut the door and retreated down the hall.

"Oh. My. God," she stopped a few feet behind Minato. He was already smirking, a laugh bubbling deep in his chest. "All those sounds. You said they were playing video games!" Kushina's voice was so powerful it caused her husband to flinch.

Minato turned, a sheepish grin plastered on his face, "well I'm sure they were playing _something_."

Kushina's laugh contrasted strongly with her glare and she hit him again.

* * *

Street lights were just starting to turn on as Sasuke pulled into a space in the dorm parking lot. They unpacked the car and took their belongings to their respective rooms. It became immediately evident how much privacy they lacked in the dorms compared to Naruto's house. It was frustratingly obvious – both their roommates were back and the commons room was swarming with people catching up after a week off. Begrudgingly they decided to go back to their rooms, they should relax and prepare for class on Monday anyway.

It wasn't easy getting back into the school routine. Fucking classes trying to occupy all their time. Like the hour a day wasn't enough, they needed to spend their free time studying. It was ridiculous, really. Naruto never had so much trouble getting back into the swing of things after a break – but he also never had a boyfriend that could get him hard with a smirk.

The blond was particularly distracted during lunch on Tuesday; not upset or depressed, but distant. He was with Sasuke in the student union, they were done with lunch and now just sat talking. Well, Sasuke talked and Naruto nodded occasionally. It was like their roles had reversed.

Sasuke whistled and blue eyes snapped to him, Sasuke looked expectant, "So what do you think?"

_I'm nervous_. "About what?" Naruto's eyes were wide.

"Thursday," Sasuke sighed, "I think we should do it Thursday."

_That's rather forward, what makes you think I am ready for that? _"Do it?" Azure eyes turned from confused to anxious.

The pale boy took a moment to pause and scrutinize the strange expression, "The sleep deprivation. I think it would be best to start it on Thursday. That way we will hit 72 hours on Sunday. It means we will have to go to Friday's classes on no sleep, but I think that is better than finishing Monday morning – neither of us would be able to go to class if we could sleep instead."

_Right_. "Sounds good to me," Naruto nodded, his voice still distant.

Sasuke furrowed his brow, "Are you okay?"

Naruto blinked and after a moment flashed a grin, "Yeah. I'm fine. Just... I've been thinking about something."

"Awww," Sasuke feigned pity, "that must be rough. You gonna be alright?"

Naruto was coherent enough to know when he was being insulted, he shot the pale boy a fierce glare followed by a fist to the shoulder. Sasuke laughed and shouted about domestic abuse, Naruto sulked. Since when did Sasuke joke and Naruto brood? It couldn't be a good omen for the rest of the week.

* * *

The overcast sky bathed the campus in a uniform shadow. Naruto meandered towards his ultimate destination, looking up occasionally – wondering when the rain would start to fall. He was relieved when he finally arrived at the student clinic, the wind had picked up and he wasn't wearing a very heavy jacket. He shivered as he entered the foyer and took his hands out of his pockets.

The wall across from the reception desk housed brochures on all topics. From drugs to nutrition, anorexia to flu shots. There seemed to be an attempt to categorize the pamphlets, but Naruto found he wasn't entirely sure what that system was. Not that it mattered, he doubted he would find _"So you are interested in anal sex"_ among the titles.

"Can I help you?" A timid voice drifted across the waiting room.

"Yeah, uh..." Naruto turned to face the receptionist. She was a pale girl with long dark hair and light eyes. There was something familiar about her. _Are you fucking serious? _Naruto vaguely remembered Neji mentioning he had a younger cousin that had started attending school this year. "You know, I'm good, thanks."

The blond bolted from the lobby before the girl could even say goodbye. The gods must be against him, there was no other possible explanation. _Time for plan B_. Naruto made a bee line for the library, it was too cold to play coy.

He walked up to the front desk, "I'm writing a paper for Human Sexuality, what part of the reference section should I go to?"

The lie was plausible and no where near as embarrassing as _"you got any books on butt sex?"_. Naruto found the appropriate section and scanned the titles. Masters and Johnson studies, abridged Kinsey reports and adopted works filled the shelves. They were teeming with information – but none of it was useful. Naruto didn't need statistics, interesting though they may be – he needed to understand the "procedural aspect" as it was termed. And according to Masters and Johnson two complete strangers could figure things out in a matter of minutes with few, if any, spoken words. _Those guys must have been pros_.

Naruto sighed and replaced the book in his hand. He hung his head and moved away from the reference section. He continued to stare at his feet as he left the library. _Okay... plan C_.

Back in the student union, Naruto slowly made his way up the stairs. Earlier in the day he'd located the room he would need just in case all other plans failed and now he dragged himself there. It was going to be embarrassing, it shouldn't be – he realized that, but it would be nonetheless.

The door was ajar and it fell further open with each knock. Naruto peered in and saw the red head sitting in an oversized chair, one leg slung up on the arm, reading a book. The blond cleared his throat and entered the room.

Gaara looked up and squinted slightly as he processed the identity of his guest, "Hey... Naruto," he shifted to bring both his feet to the floor and closed his book, "what brings you to the little house of deviants?"

Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets and chewed his cheek nervously, "I need some... advice."

"That's what we are here for," Gaara leaned back in the chair, "have a seat."

The blond complied, sitting down in a chair across from the red head, a round coffee table between them. Naruto sat slouched, brow knotted in anxiety.

"So how are things going with Sasuke?" Gaara's tone was genuine.

Naruto couldn't help but smile, "Really good," then he paused, "maybe too good."

Gaara cocked his head, "what's the problem?"

"I don't know about any of this," the blond sighed, his fingers knotting nervously, "I've never done this before."

The red head stiffened, "You mean... _been_ with a man?"

Naruto averted his gaze and nodded, "I guess I didn't think it would be so different from being with a girl. But it is," he turned his eyes back to Gaara, "isn't it?"

Gaara stood up and moved to a desk across the room, "It is... different. There are things to consider that aren't necessarily an issue with heterosexual intercourse."

Naruto turned his gaze to follow the red head. There was a sudden distance between them, beyond the physical space he had put between himself and the blond. Gaara's tone had turned formal, he made less eye contact. He jotted a few lines on a piece of notepaper and returned to Naruto.

"There are a few books and a websites I would recommend. These are good resources. Detailed but not obscene... tasteful," his smile was weak as he held the note out to the blond.

"Wait... that's it? You aren't even going to talk to me?" Naruto looked frustrated, his cheeks tinted pink.

"I don't have any more information than you can find here," Gaara waved the paper in front of the blond.

Naruto snatched it out of the pale hand, "That is such bullshit," he shoved it into his pocket and stood up quickly, "I thought you were supposed to be here to support and shit, not turf confused kids to the internet."

The words stung and Gaara's eyes slitted, "I'm sorry Naruto, I just... I can't," he sighed and pursed his lips, "it wouldn't be appropriate."

Naruto threw out his arms, "What about any of this is _appropriate_? Isn't that the point. You are here to help guide us through the inappropriateness and the awkwardness and the shame."

Naruto's voice had grown weak by the end and Gaara felt guilt twinge deep inside, "You are right Naruto. I _am_ supposed to help you. But... there is a conflict of interest here, with this particular subject. It wouldn't be... _kosher_... for me to speak to you on it."

Azure eyes moved over Gaara's face, examining his features. Then he saw it, plain as day. The guilt was about more than being unhelpful. It wasn't that Gaara didn't have knowledge on the subject, it was that he had too much. And it wasn't about sex alone. Gaara had knowledge about sex _and_ Sasuke.

* * *

Neji and Sasuke sat silently in their room, each engrossed in homework. The quiet was shattered as the door flew open and a tsunami of angry Japanese flooded the room.

"You fucking slept with Gaara!" Naruto's voice boomed, his frigid eyes narrowing on Sasuke.

Both boys jumped at the intrusion, Sasuke's eyes drawn wide in shock and Neji looking equally surprised. The Hyuga may not have understood the language but he knew jealousy when he heard it. The brunet calmly stuffed his notes into his text book and stood up, he tucked his book under his arm and moved to the door. Neji shuffled past the fuming blond and looked back at Sasuke with eyes that clearly said 'good luck'.

"How could you do that?" Naruto shouted as he stepped into the room, he didn't bother closing the door or reverting back to English.

"What the _hell_ is your problem?" Sasuke yelled in the same tongue as he stood up from his chair and took a step back from the blond.

"Did I fucking stutter?" Naruto sneered, "you had sex with Gaara."

Sasuke could feel his temper unraveling, "So? I told you I've fucked a few people. You didn't seem to have a problem with that the other day."

"This is different," Naruto crossed his arms, his whole body blocking the doorway. Sasuke couldn't see the small crowd that had begun to gather around the room.

"How? How is it okay a few days ago but today you are freaking out," the pale boy mimicked Naruto, crossing his arms as he spoke.

The blond chewed his lip for a moment, then slowly dropped his arms, "It just is."

Sasuke raked a hand through his midnight locks and looked away. He was most ashamed of what he had done with Gaara, more than any of his other trysts. What had happened with Gaara was by far the worst. The pale boy moved past Naruto and sent an icy glare out into the hall that had the bystanders scattering as he shut the door.

He turned and pressed his back into the door. Sighing he looked back at Naruto. His voice was soft as he switched back to English, "what I did with Gaara wasn't right," the blond huffed at that and turned away from the pale boy, "not just because it didn't feel right. Not just because he wasn't you," the pale boy shifted his gaze, "but I took advantage of his compassion."

Slowly Naruto allowed his gaze to return to the raven-haired boy. Sasuke released his grip on the door knob and shoved his hands in his pockets, "It was the end of our first semester and I was... a mess. You were partying with Kiba, messing around with different girls and I was confused and angry and full of self pity. I went to Gaara for advice – whether I should give up or confess or just be patient. Things sort of... got out of hand. We both felt guilty afterward. Him because he thought had abused his position and me because I knew it was meaningless."

Nobody spoke for a long moment. Finally Naruto sighed, his posture relaxing, "I'm sorry. I didn't know... back then," he paused and looked up at the ceiling, he shook his head and closed his eyes, "Oh God. Some of the things I told you," his eyes opened again, much clearer than they had been a few minutes before, "you must have wanted to punch me."

Sasuke shrugged, "You couldn't have known. Besides, that was the past. Ages ago. We are different people now. We are together now. That is what I want to think about."

The raven-haired boy took a step forward, reaching out for Naruto. The blond took an instinctive step back, still a little tense from the fight. Sasuke frowned and withdrew his hand.

"Why don't you think things over. Process it. If you have anything you still want to talk about, we can talk tomorrow," Sasuke spoke quietly, his voice carried a hint of hurt.

Naruto furrowed his brow and nodded. It would be better to sift through these emotions while they were fresh, instead of pushing them aside in favor of something more pleasant. Sasuke kicked himself off the door and moved to allow Naruto through. The blond reached for the door knob but hesitated. He turned to Sasuke and didn't hesitate a second. He wrapped his arms around the lithe frame, pressing his face into Sasuke's neck. Pale arms wrapped around Naruto, hands clenching onto his jacket. There were no words.

* * *

Naruto made his way down the stairs and through the hall slowly. He thought about Sasuke's words and wondered why it was different today than it had been a few days ago. Things that were fine suddenly weren't.

A week ago Sasuke had been a virgin in Naruto's mind. It was ludicrous now that Naruto thought about it, but the idea that Sasuke had been with anybody else had seemed so strange. Naruto had never known Sasuke to have any relationship and never heard of any hook ups – so by default, Sasuke must have never had sex before. Then a few days ago, the revelation – and it was perfectly logical. Sure, Sasuke was in love with Naruto – but he couldn't be expected to take a vow of celibacy just because Naruto was oblivious. And Naruto had been fine with that, it made sense – and it wasn't like he hadn't been around the block a few times too. It was just a different block.

The reason this was different, Naruto supposed, was because it was no longer a nameless, faceless entity that had entertained Sasuke's sexual urges. This was a person – real flesh and blood. A man with pale green eyes and a kanji tattoo. Sasuke had tried to escape his confusion with Gaara, it wasn't any different from what Naruto had done with Anko – well, tried to do.

The blond sighed as he arrived at his door, the handle didn't give. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. A piece of paper dropped out, fluttering slowly to the floor. Naruto stared down for a moment before recognizing the stationary, he picked it up and pursed his lips. He opened the door and set his keys on his desk. Naruto sat down in front of his computer and studied the paper. Three web addresses and two books. The books would have to wait, but the internet was readily available. Besides, it wasn't like he could stay upset forever, might as well prepare for the inevitable.

* * *

Sasuke eyed Naruto with concern. The blond looked exhausted. Naruto collapsed in his seat next to the pale boy and brought his head to the desk.

"Naruto?" Sasuke's voice was laced with worry, "Are you okay?"

The blond only yawned in response and nuzzled his head into the pillow he had made with his arms. Naruto felt a warm hand on his back, rubbing between his shoulder blades. He groaned and opened his eyes to see Sasuke looking down at him expectantly – still waiting for an answer.

"I didn't sleep very well last night," Naruto mumbled into the crook of his arm.

Sasuke stopped rubbing, but left his hand resting on Naruto's back, "Why not?"

Naruto turned away, it looked like he was pouting but in truth he was hiding the blush on his cheeks, "Just couldn't get my mind to rest."

"Hn," Sasuke withdrew his hand, but he allowed his fingertips to trail down Naruto's spine as he did so.

The blond shuddered, his blush deepened and he buried his face further into his arms. No, he wasn't able to rest his mind one bit last night. Not after his hours of _research_.

Every conscious moment was filled with scenarios – scenes playing out behind his eyelids. Dirty scenes. Filthy scenes. Scenes where Naruto was on all fours, bent over a chair or on his back with legs spread. Delicious scenes in which Sasuke entered him slowly, teasingly, roughly, repeatedly. When consciousness did finally slip away the scenes only became more detailed. His dreams had a rich quality that lied to Naruto and told him the scenes were real; the way Sasuke moved in him, the pulsing ecstasy, the fluids spilled.

Sometime near 3 AM a pillow hurled at the blond woke him, pulled him away from dream-Sasuke's glorious being. Kiba shouted many obscenities, between which he informed Naruto that he was doing it again. It had been over a month since Naruto had finally stopped groaning and grinding in his sleep. According to Kiba, this night was as bad as the first. _Get the FUCK out_. The brunet's demand was met with little argument. Naruto also broke the shower rule in the early hours, long before any of his floor mates woke. Twice. No, Naruto did not get much sleep at all last night.

Lecture began and he pulled his head up to look forward with distant eyes. His notebook was open, pen in hand, but not a single word was written down the entire hour.

Naruto followed Sasuke out of the classroom. Followed probably wasn't the right word. Naruto clung to Sasuke as the raven-haired boy made his way outside. Sasuke had an arm wrapped around Naruto's shoulders to help support him.

"You'll need to get better sleep tonight. Once we wake up tomorrow morning we won't be able to sleep again until Sunday," Sasuke's tone was slightly amused.

Naruto grumbled a response and lifted himself off the pale boy. He yawned again and stopped walking. Sasuke turned and smiled at the tired and disheveled blond. Naruto looked as if he might say something but pursed his lips and started walking again.

* * *

Naruto never did mention anything more about Gaara. Sasuke had been waiting throughout their lunch, he was ready to answer any question the blond could think of – but it never came up. He knew he should have been relieved, but it nagged at him. There were things, he felt, that still needed to be said.

When Sasuke returned from Statistics he found Naruto taking a nap. He knew the blond was exhausted and didn't think it would be worth waking him just to hope he had come up with something to say. Sasuke tried to focus on his homework, but that nagging stole his attention. When dinner time rolled around he made his way back to Naruto's room only to find it empty. Apparently he had left with Kiba to grab something to eat. _Well, shit._ It wasn't looking very promising, things were going to remain unsaid – at least for today.

* * *

Naruto and Kiba indulged in pizza that night. Despite the fact that it was served by the slice, they calculated that they had downed nearly an entire large each. Naruto felt better after his nap, still tired but not so much like a zombie.

Kiba finished his last slice and followed it with several gulps of soda before heaving a satisfied sigh. He stopped bobbing his head for a moment and then started again, signaling to Naruto that the track had changed. Naruto was looking around the cafeteria when the brunet spoke.

"So what was up last night?" Kiba raised a brow.

Naruto's eyes shot back to him, "What do you mean?"

"Are you not getting enough action?" Kiba smirked, "Is Sasuke holding out on you?"

"No," Naruto stated hesitantly, "nothing like that."

Kiba hummed, "Well it has to be something... to get you so worked up..." his expression turned devious, "are you scared?"

Naruto's brow furrowed, "scared of what?"

"Oh... I don't know. Maybe things are starting to get serious. I mean, _I_ would be scared if I knew that sometime in the very immediate future somebody was going to shove their dick in _my_ ass."

"The _hell_ Kiba!" Naruto's eyes were wide and wild, "Did you get on my fucking computer?"

The brunet laughed, "No," he paused as if contemplating how he'd acquired such knowledge, "I suppose it was something you said in your sleep last night. I believe it was along the lines of _'fuck me Sasuke!'_" Kiba tilted his head back and groaned loudly, "_Oh God fuck me! Fuck me!_"

Heads began to turn to the two boys sitting alone at the table, "Shut up Kiba!"

"_Harder Sasuke, harder!_" Kiba growled and people stopped to stare.

"KIBA!" Naruto was bright red, feeling several pairs of eyes on him.

"_Oh God, Sasuke! Fu–_"

Naruto reached across the table and slapped the brunet. It seemed to shock him. Kiba stopped his passionate cries and glared at the blond.

"Bitch!" He shouted.

Naruto brought his hands up to shield his face from the growing crowd, "I'm sorry Kiba, but Jesus people are staring."

The brunet looked around, he had been oblivious to the eyes on him until Naruto mentioned it. He smirked at his audience, "What? He's a good lay."

Kiba chuckled as the crowd began to disperse. He turned back to face Naruto, who had buried his face in his arms, his back was trembling. Kiba bit his lip, afraid the blond might actually be crying. He reached across the table and tapped Naruto's shoulder. The blond threw himself back in his chair, laughing so hard tears were pricking at the corners of his eyes.

Once the laughter subsided Naruto looked at Kiba, still smiling, "Seriously. I'm sorry I slapped you."

Kiba shrugged, "It's fine," he paused and cocked his head, "So what would I find on your computer?"

* * *

"Neji," Sasuke spoke after a long silence, "I need a favor."

The brunet looked across the room to his reclining dorm mate. It had been almost a half hour since Sasuke had returned from his failed quest to seek out Naruto. The raven-haired boy had returned, kicked off his shoes and laid down without a word.

"What?" Neji asked suspiciously.

Sasuke turned to face the brunet, "I need you to switch rooms with Naruto for a couple nights."

"Why the hell would I do that?" Neji scoffed.

Sasuke propped himself up on his elbows, "After tonight we won't be able to sleep for 72 hours. It would be for your own convenience, instead of trying to sleep while I'm awake."

"Can't you spend the night in the commons?" Neji narrowed his eyes at the pale boy.

Sasuke huffed, "I could," he sat up and faced his roommate, "but I won't. I guess I should rephrase. It isn't so much a favor as it is an ultimatum. Either you switch with Naruto or I will keep _you_ up for 72 hours."

"You are a dick," Neji retorted with a glare.

"So I've heard," Sasuke smirked, "so what will it be?"

"Fine," the brunet growled, "but make sure your boyfriend changes the sheets tomorrow."


	18. Not Sleeping Around

**A/N: Hello dear readers! Thank you for all of the reviews - you have further inspired me with the varied interpretations of Naruto's reaction to the SasuGaa affair. I apologize for the brevity of this chapter (as well as the next couple). But I hope that what is lacking in quantity is made up for in quality. My plot bunnies have grown fat and content on your reviews and require more in order to keep them satiated - please help me keep them engorged. **

**Warnings: A little boyxboy action to keep you salivating.**

**Disclaimer: It is my sad duty to inform you that I, VioletWylde, do not own Naruto.**

* * *

The alarm went off like any other day, incessant beeping until Naruto growled and slammed his hand down on the snooze button. But there would be no snoozing; he rolled off the mattress and stumbled around the room until he found his desk. He fumbled around in his backpack and pulled out his hand held camera, cursing as he tried to turn it on. Finally the LCD screen flicked on, displaying Naruto's feet. He smiled in victory, turned the device on himself and pressed record.

"It's 8 AM on Thursday," the blond yawned, "I will continue to check in every hour for the next 72 hours."

And he did, as did Sasuke. During their morning classes each boy would discreetly pull out their camera and prove their consciousness – the device time stamped the documentation so there was no need to even speak. That was only convenient thing about the damned experiment since their alarms had a tendency to go off in the middle of class.

It wasn't until lunch that the two boys reunited. When Sasuke spotted the blond in line for a sandwich he smiled. He wasn't sure what he would feel – if there would be any residual uneasiness with how things had been left between them the day before. He wasn't surprised to find he no longer cared about having that conversation, discussing those topics that had caused them grief two days before. He was just happy to see Naruto again; the blond looked much livelier than he had yesterday.

"I missed you at dinner last night," Sasuke said nonchalantly as he picked at his sandwich.

Naruto gave a bashful smile, "Sorry."

The raven-haired boy shrugged, "It's fine. Gave me a chance to work out some sleeping arrangements with Neji."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "What kind of arrangements?"

Sasuke finished his bite of sandwich, "Neji will be sleeping with Kiba," he smirked, "well, I shouldn't presume such things. Neji will be staying in your room with Kiba. You will be sleeping with me."

Naruto appreciated the playful glint in Sasuke's eyes, "Should you be presuming that?"

Sasuke shrugged. He leaned forward and let his tongue roll along his bottom lip before biting down on the flesh. Naruto could feel his pulse increasing with the lascivious look. Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, a vibration spread across Naruto's lap. He gasped, almost shuddered, and clenched his hand to his thigh; Naruto squeezed until his phone turned off. The blond smiled, he could feel a blush spreading across his cheeks. A few seconds later Sasuke's own alarm went off – it was a quiet trill.

The boys each pulled out their cameras; Naruto smiled and Sasuke scowled.

"We are very much awake and enjoying lunch," Naruto spoke into the device. He turned the camera to point at Sasuke, "Tell the nice man how much you love this experiment Sasuke."

The pale boy glared into the camera, "Hn."

Naruto chuckled and returned the camera to himself, "He's ecstatic."

* * *

"You suck," Kiba glared at the blond as Naruto made his bed, "you realize that right?"

Naruto turned his head and smiled over his shoulder, "Yeah."

Kiba threw himself back on his mattress and huffed, "He better not be a prick."

The blond turned and sat on his clean bedding, "You probably won't even see him. I bet he spends all his time at the library or the rec center. He will just sleep here."

Kiba sighed again and Naruto turned to his closet. He started to pull out his clothes, shoving articles into a laundry bag. Naruto couldn't help the smile that began to crawl across his lips at the thought of three sleepless nights with Sasuke. His mind was teeming with ideas, the possibilities were endless.

"Wow," Kiba deadpanned from his bed.

Naruto turned with a questioning expression. He held his laundry bag in one hand and his toiletries in the other. Kiba was sitting on his mattress, facing the blond – his eyes met with Naruto's, flitted down and lingered for a moment before coming back up. Naruto followed his roommates gaze down his torso and around his hips. His face immediately turned bright red as he found himself staring at a rather prominent erection.

"Fuck!" He moved his laundry bag to cover the embarrassing bulge. He screwed his eyes shut and pressed the bundle into his hard on, "fuck...fuck...fuck."

The whispered mantra did little to eradicate Naruto's problem, but it brought tears to Kiba's eyes as he rolled off his bed in a fit of laughter. Naruto growled and shifted himself around until the hard length was adequately concealed. He couldn't get to Sasuke's room fast enough.

* * *

"What are _you_ doing here?" Naruto demanded as the door was opened to reveal Neji on the other side.

The brunet glared, "It _is_ my room."

Naruto shifted on his feet, a groan rumbling deep in his chest. Neji gave him a curious look before stepping aside to allow the blond in. Naruto entered, dropped his backpack next to Sasuke's desk and proceeded to toss his laundry and shower bags on Sasuke's bed. The raven-haired boy looked up from his textbook as a wayward shampoo bottle landed on his leg. Naruto appeared oddly irritated as he sat on the edge of the mattress. His eye twitched and he tugged at his pants before hunching over. Sasuke arched an eyebrow and lifted his gaze up to Neji, the brunet shrugged.

Sasuke furrowed his brow, "Neji why don't you head out to dinner, we'll catch up."

The brunet's eyes widened, "The hell Sasuke?" Neji's gaze shifted between the two boys on the bed, "You guys do realize I actually live here, right?"

The pale boy pinched the bridge of his nose, "Neji..."

"Fine," he threw his arms in the air and turned on his heels.

The door made a soft click as it closed and Sasuke waited a moment before moving to the blond still hunched over on the edge of his bed, "What's wrong Naru–?"

Naruto turned abruptly and launched himself on top of the pale boy. His slowly receding hard on made a quick comeback as the blond devoured Sasuke. He pressed their bodies together with an urgency Sasuke hadn't experienced in weeks.

"Fuck..." the blond moaned against pale lips as he ground down harder.

Sasuke's hands found purchase on Naruto's ass and he kneaded the muscles as they tensed and relaxed with each desperate gyration. Naruto slipped one leg between the pale boy's and growled as his aching erection found some reprieve against the hard thigh. His mouth slipped of off Sasuke's, lips and tongue trailing along his jaw and down his neck. Naruto released another frenzied moan as he buried his face into the junction of neck and shoulder.

"Naruto..." Sasuke breathed as his own hard length was grazed, "what is... ngghhh," more focused contact shut up the raven-haired boy. Questions could wait, cumming could not.

The blond could not be bothered to undo his pants. His needs would not allow the patience necessary to stop his movements. Sasuke worked feverishly to remove the cumbersome barrier of Naruto's jeans and underwear, his shirt would have to remain. The blond was frustratingly uncooperative, his grinding and thrusting did little to aid in Sasuke's ministrations, but finally the pale boy managed to push the garments down and free a rather angry looking cock – blushed red and dripping. Naruto continued to rub the hard length against Sasuke. The pale boy quickly turned his hands back to his own pants and was able to make quicker work of them. He lifted his hips to slip the denim down and gasped as Naruto's hot dick pressed against his own.

Naruto lifted his upper body, resting his weight on his hands. He arched his back and ground down harder. There was an almost anguished quality to his face as he groaned – eyes clenched shut, mouth open and panting. Sasuke's eyes drank up the sight before sparing a glance down to see that aching cock moving against his own. The head glistened, leaking profusely, as it slid next to Sasuke's.

Sasuke slipped his hands between their bodies and wrapped his slender fingers as best he could around both erections. He gripped them light enough to allow for Naruto's movements but firm enough to increase the sensation. He began to stroke, slowly building up speed until he was keeping time with the blond's somewhat frantic pace. Onyx eyes returned to Naruto's face; it still looked pained – brows knotted in glorious agony as release remained just out of reach.

"Naruto," Sasuke moaned and tightened his grip until the blond opened his eyes. Azure orbs slowly focused on the face beneath. Sasuke tweaked his brow slightly, filled his eyes with a raw passion and allowed his voice to quiver as he drawled, "oh God... Naruto."

Sasuke knew what he was doing, he knew the reaction Naruto had to his eyes. The way he couldn't help but cum when that lascivious look was sent his way. It was a dirty trick; a fucking fantastic and dirty trick.

The blond groaned and shuddered, his whole body racked with the intensity of his orgasm. His panting breaths were almost sobs as he collapsed on top of the pale boy. Every nerve ending tingled, continued to burn white hot long after his pulsing spill had ceased. Sasuke was pulled in by the powerful climax, finding his own with little more effort. But his was nothing like Naruto's; it seemed the blond came for both of them.

Naruto's breathing steadied and after a few minutes of silence, Sasuke noticed it had begun to slow. He brought his clean hand to tangle into blond locks and tugged them lightly. Naruto gave an annoyed grunt.

"You can't fall asleep," Sasuke warned quietly.

Naruto huffed and rolled over, he turned to look at the pale boy, "I think I have discovered another state of consciousness," he laughed lightly, "should I tell Iruka?"

Sasuke chuckled in response, "Somehow I don't think _that_ is going to added to the experiment list."

Naruto shifted carefully and pulled himself away in search of tissue. His quest led him to Sasuke's desk and as he returned he felt questioning eyes on him. He tried to ignore the gaze as he wiped the white pools off Sasuke's stomach.

"Is something wrong Naruto?" Sasuke asked as Naruto balled up the tissue.

"No..." azure eyes remained unreadable.

"I mean... don't get me wrong, I enjoy your enthusiasm but..." Sasuke trailed off. He wasn't sure what it was, but something just felt off.

Naruto's lips twitched into a small, lopsided smile, "I guess I am just a little excited about the next few days and..." He scratched the back of his head as his eyes moved to the floor, "I missed you yesterday."

Sasuke fought back a smirk, "So you aren't upset?"

Cobalt eyes returned to the pale boy, "Upset about what?"

"Gaara?" Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto pursed his lips and looked away once again. His conversation with Gaara, brief though it may have been, had proven to be quite informative. Naruto had discovered more than he wanted – and while some of what he learned displeased him, the redhead had also provided some excellent resources. Indeed, Naruto had learned a lot from Gaara.

"No," Naruto said in earnest, "I'm not upset about Gaara. Knowing you have been with other people is different from knowing who else you have been with. I was just a little shocked, but truthfully I don't care. I get it."

Sasuke's eyes betrayed his relief, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Naruto smiled down, "just don't let it happen again."

* * *

It had been 45 minutes since Neji left the dorm room and he had already finished with his dinner by the time Sasuke and Naruto found him in the student union. The brunet simply glowered as they approached. Sasuke appeared indifferent but Naruto's eyes held a small apology as they sat down with their Styrofoam boxes. Naruto opened his container and poked at his glossy chow mein. Sasuke smirked, _fucking noodles._ The blond finished playing with his food and began to devour the meal.

"You don't need chop sticks Naruto," a familiar voice brought the blond's attention to the other side of the room. Kiba smiled as he approached, "They should just give you a trowel."

"Fuck you Kiba," Naruto retorted with a mouth full of noodles.

The brunet smiled but the expression quickly turned devious, "So..." he rocked on his feet, "did you take care of that little _problem_?" Naruto glared in response. Kiba's smirk grew as he leaned down and sniffed near the blond, "Hmm... seems like you did," the blond began to bristle as Kiba gave one more sniff, "and you had some assistance."

Naruto threw his container on the table in front of him and lunged at the brunet. Startled, Kiba stumbled backward and tripped over a low table. The two went crashing over the arm of an empty chair. The blond had a tight grip on Kiba's shirt as he leaned forward, bringing his mouth to the brunet's ear.

"You can tease me all you want. Make your jokes and fuck with _me_. But don't you ever, _ever_, talk that trash about _him_," Naruto pulled his face back, "do you understand me?"

Kiba nodded, eyes wide. He gulped as Naruto released him and pushed himself up off the chair. The blond extended a hand to Kiba, who eyed it incredulously. After a moment of hesitation the brunet accepted and was hoisted back onto his feet. Naruto studied Kiba's shocked expression before grinning full and wide. Kiba's eyes were still dubious as he smiled back.

* * *

The incident was quickly dropped and dinner was moved from the student union to the commons room back at the dorm. Long after their meals were finished the four boys continued to laze about, watching TV and chatting – Sasuke and Naruto checked in twice more on their cameras. There were only a few hours left to the day when the group ascended the stairs. Kiba and Neji exited the stairwell on the third floor and Naruto followed Sasuke up to the fourth.

Naruto flopped down on Sasuke's bed, facing the pale boy who stood with his arms crossed. Naruto propped himself up on his elbows and cocked his head to the side, he hoped cuteness would diffuse the tension that was filling the air between them.

"What was that earlier tonight?" Sasuke spoke coolly.

Naruto raised his eyebrows, "What was what?"

Sasuke blinked once, "Don't play dumb, dobe."

"Can't I just say that I'm tired?" Naruto fell back onto the mattress.

"That would be a plausible excuse tomorrow, but not tonight," the voice moved around Naruto until it was behind him.

Naruto sat up and turned on the bed, Sasuke was setting his phone and camera on the nightstand. The blond pursed his lips as he stood and moved to his backpack, it was almost time for another check in. He pulled his camera out of his bag and returned to Sasuke. The blond stared intently at the device in his hands as obsidian eyes drilled into him.

"I just..." Naruto looked up, and struggled to keep his voice steady under the intense gaze, "I don't mind Kiba joking around about _me_... but not about _you_, not about _us_," he laughed nervously, "I don't know, maybe I overreacted. It's just–"

Naruto stopped abruptly. The next few words that came to his mind caused his pulse to race. Everything suddenly became sharper – the sound of rain against the window, the cool scent that Naruto had come to recognize as Sasuke, the unreadable depths of midnight eyes.

With a shaky breath Naruto began again, "Sasuke, I think I–"

A clattering and soft trill cut the sentence short. Sasuke blinked and turned to his phone, silencing the noisy device. He reached next to it and grabbed his camera. The raven-haired boy turned it on and Naruto did the same with the one he was clutching. The check it was short, but enough of a distraction to dispel the mood. Naruto tossed his camera to the bed and turned to his belongings, rummaging through his shower bag.

"I suppose we should clean up," he turned back to the pale boy, "Kiba might not be the only one to smell jiz on us."

Sasuke made a slightly disgusted face and Naruto chuckled as he moved out of the room. The raven-haired boy hung back a few minutes, for decency sake. He grabbed his supplies and smiled as he realized Naruto forgot a towel, he seriously considered letting the blond suffer but decided to be a good boyfriend instead.

The gentle smack of flip flops stopped in front of Naruto's stall, he could see a shadow under the door but nothing else. Tan hands stopped spreading lather around as he waited for the shadow to do something.

"Dobe?" Sasuke's voice penetrated the sound of rushing water.

"Um..." Naruto bit his lip, "occupied?"

There was a huff on the other side of the door, "Forget something?"

A towel was slung over the door, falling onto Naruto's head and wiping off some of his shampoo. The blond rinsed off his hands and arranged the cloth to keep from getting wet under the stream of water. He tilted his head back and washed out the thick lather.

There was a smile in his voice, "Thanks."

"Hn," was barely audible under the new spray.

A mischievous smirk tugged at Naruto's lips as he returned his supplies to his shower bag, "Hey Sasuke," he received a grunt in reply, teasingly Naruto continued, "What are you wearing?" A snort from the next shower stall bolstered the blond further, "You uh... need some help washing your back?"

There was a pleased hum followed by a silky, dark voice, "Maybe... how about you? Got any hard to reach spots?"

"There are a couple places that could use your attention," his smirk widened and his hand found its way to his twitching cock, "hey Sasuke... you think we are alone?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak when a strangled voice rang out, "NO! No you are not!"

Both boys broke out in laughter, joyous and sinister at the same time. Naruto turned off the water and wrapped himself tightly in the towel Sasuke brought him.

"See you back in the room," there was still a suggestive tint in the blond's voice.


	19. Lounge Act

**A/N: As always, thank you for all the reviews! Your comments are really helping me to add some depth to this story in places where even I felt it was lacking. Your feedback is tremendously helpful so please keep it up! As a reward for all your comments my plot bunnies have produced a new fic for your reading pleasure. The first chapter went up yesterday, so if you haven't done so already, I encourage you to check out "I've Got More".**

**Warnings: Some light boyxboy action here - after all it is only the first night, we don't want to blow our load too soon. )**

**Disclaimer: I am not mentioned anywhere in the credits... I guess I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Naruto was pulling up his boxers when he heard the phone ring. He padded over to the nightstand and picked up the chirping device. There was a familiar face on the screen and under the image, a name – _Itachi_. Naruto chewed his bottom lip for a moment before hitting the button to accept the call.

He kept his voice cool as he spoke, "Hello?"

"Sasuke?" A dubious voice responded.

Doing his best Uchiha impression Naruto replied, "That's what your phone says, doesn't it?"

A long pause had the blond wondering if Itachi had hung up, then cautiously, "Naruto?"

"Yeah," Naruto chuckled, "Sasuke is in the shower."

"Hn..." another pause, "well I am in the air right now, my flight back home is being rerouted due to weather. I am going to have to land in your fine city in about an hour and I would be bereft if I didn't let Sasuke know I was in town. I know it is a school night, but I was hoping it wouldn't be too late for him to take a trip to the airport and visit his beloved elder brother."

Naruto processed this information for a moment, "Are you allowed to use your phone on the plane?"

There was a sigh on the other end, "Focus Naruto."

"Oh... oh yeah," Naruto's eyes lit up, "no it's cool. Actually we are doing this... experiment... thing. Anyway we have nothing better to do with our night. I'm sure Sasuke would love to meet up."

There was a chill to Itachi's voice, "Yeah? You think so?" Naruto suddenly found a pit forming in his stomach, "I will arrange for you to be picked up. Be outside in 60 minutes."

"Okay," Naruto replied hesitantly.

He turned when he heard the door open and close. Quickly he disconnected the call and smiled at the pale boy. Sasuke was quite a sight – half naked and dripping wet. If it weren't for the uneasiness that was spreading through his gut, Naruto would have been hard in seconds.

"Who was that?" Sasuke's tone held an icy edge.

Naruto tweaked his brow in apology, "Itachi."

The pale boy growled, "What?"

"His plane is being rerouted... he is going to land here in an hour," Naruto paused to asses the damage, Sasuke's slight glare had yet to intensify, "he wants us to meet him at the airport."

Now the eyes slitted, "And what did you tell him?"

A nervous grin adorned Naruto's face, "That you would love to see him."

"Oh," he gave a humorless laugh, "fuck no."

"But he said he would be bereft Sasuke. Bereft!" Naruto's teasing tone did little to assist his plea. Sasuke simply stared, eyes cold and dark. Naruto sighed, "Well, it's too late, he is already expecting us." _Don't kill me._

"Fine, we will tell him I have a flat tire," Sasuke grumbled as he slipped into his boxers, "he won't expect me to change it in the rain." The pale boy brought his towel up to head and began to dry his hair.

"Uh..." Naruto started, then stopped when Sasuke peered up from under the towel, "he is sort of sending a car."

"Dammit!"

* * *

Sasuke stood in the foyer, eyes focused on the curb. He had resigned himself to his fate and now waited for Charon to arrive and ferry him away to the underworld. Naruto stood next to him and chewed his lip nervously, he'd never understood the dynamic between Sasuke and Itachi. Having no siblings of his own, Naruto couldn't fathom the complexity of the relationship. He knew Sasuke loved his brother even though he still held a lot of contempt. Sasuke looked up to his brother and sought his approval, but he was still so combative whenever they interacted.

Naruto looked Sasuke over one more time. The raven-haired boy stood statuesque, staring out the small window, his bag slung over one should and resting on the opposite hip. He was dressed nicely considering the time of night – all black of course, except for the flash of red from the lining of his leather jacket. He'd even picked out Naruto's clothes, despite the blond's arguments. They'd compromised, Naruto was allowed to wear his washed out jeans as long as he matched it with one of Sasuke's navy blue button ups. When Naruto asked why Sasuke cared so much about Itachi's opinion the pale boy denied that cared at all, he proceeded to hand the blond a bottle of hair gel.

Finally a sleek black car pulled up to the curb and stopped. Sasuke opened the door and stepped out, Naruto followed close behind. A man got out of the car, umbrella shielding him from the heavy rain.

"Uchiha?" The driver called out as he moved to the rear passenger door.

Sasuke nodded and waited for the man to open the door before he stepped out into the rain. Naruto was impressed by the poise Sasuke carried himself with – the raven-haired boy did not hunch over or scurry through the rain as he walked toward the car. He made long strides that brought him quickly to the shelter of the back seat. Naruto did not attend the same finishing school as the Uchiha – he ducked under his jacket and ran awkwardly to the car before diving in. Sasuke appeared amused, much to Naruto's relief, and handed the blond one of the towels stored in a compartment in front of the seat.

Between the towels and the heated seats, both boys were adequately dry by the time they reached the airport. They were dropped off at the terminal and directed to find Itachi in the VIP lounge. _Of course_, Sasuke tensed at the thought. _Itachi would be in the lounge_; but it had only been 15 minutes since his flight had arrived, there might still be a chance he was alone.

Sasuke was overcome by a strange deja vu as he approached the bar. His hands came up to his neck to loosen the tie he wasn't wearing and undo a top button that wasn't there. Naruto noticed the uncharacteristic fidgeting but didn't comment, there was no point in making Sasuke self-conscious.

They entered the alcove to the VIP lounge to find a woman sitting behind a sleek, mahogany desk. She was absentmindedly twirling a stand of hair with her finger while she spoke softly to a man on the other side of the counter. Itachi was very much the way Naruto remembered him – tall and lean and aloof. His resemblance to Sasuke was still quite prominent, but Naruto discovered he was not attracted to the elder Uchiha. He could appreciate that Itachi was a handsome man, but the sight of him didn't cause his pulse to quicken they way it did when he looked at Sasuke. It made Naruto smile inwardly, helping to confirm his suspicions that his attraction to Sasuke was deeper and more profound.

The VIP lounge was members' only, but Sasuke suspected that the giggling receptionist wouldn't seem to mind, if even notice, the two guests that Itachi ushered in. The elder Uchiha guided them to a seating area along the window, looking out on the tarmac. Itachi sat down in a plush leather chair while Sasuke and Naruto shared a loveseat.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Itachi offered politely as he swirled the tiny black straw in his glass of scotch.

"No," Naruto spoke suddenly, "we aren't allowed to drink."

"Aren't allowed?" Both Uchiha's responded.

Naruto's eyes shifted between the two, "Yeah. Jiraiya said we shouldn't drink after the fight at Shukuba. He said it could effect our results."

"Dobe..." Sasuke sighed.

"What?"

"We drank at your parents. Remember... the hot tub?"

Naruto's eyes widened and a small grin formed on his lips, "Oh yeah. Oops."

Itachi watched the exchange with increasing interest. After a moment he cleared his throat, "Coffee then?"

Sasuke shook his head, "No. No caffeine or other stimulants are allowed during the experiment."

"Ah, yes," Itachi nodded and took a leisurely sip of his drink, "tell me about this _experiment_."

Sasuke's eye twitched at the cool tone, "It's part of an extra credit project for one of our classes. We have to stay awake for 72 hours. We are documenting how our bodies react to the lack of sleep."

"Interesting..." Itachi's gaze briefly flitted across the room before returning, "what else does this project have you doing?"

"He got hypnotized," Naruto nodded to Sasuke, "and we went to a sweat lodge."

Itachi raised a brow, "Hypnotized, eh?"

"Hn."

The elder Uchiha turned to Naruto, "So tell me. Does he have any deep seated tendencies toward fratricide?"

The blond turned to Sasuke and stared contemplatively before speaking, "No," he turned back to Itachi, "he is very forthcoming about his desires to kill you."

Both Uchihas snorted at that. Itachi smirked, "College is making Uzumaki clever."

Sasuke turned to Naruto, his onyx eyes looking him up and down, "Yeah... he has learned a few things."

The blond grinned, his cheeks tinting the slightest shade of pink. Itachi stood and placed his glass on the table in front of him, "I'll go get you boys a ginger ale... or something."

His lithe frame moved away from the sitting area. Sasuke didn't bother to watch, he knew his brother was heading for the bar and he knew it wasn't for drinks. Naruto turned and watched as Itachi introduced himself to a small group of women across the room.

Slowly, Naruto's gaze turned back to Sasuke and lingered there. The raven-haired boy sat with his elbow on the armrest and chin resting on his hand. The blond smiled as he admired the angular lines of Sasuke's face – his nose and cheeks and jawline. His dark and brooding eyes stared forward impassively. Soft midnight bangs framed his face and Naruto couldn't help but reach out and brush them back. Sasuke turned and offered a small smile.

"You know how everybody says you look so much like your brother?" Naruto mused aloud and Sasuke arched an eyebrow in response, "It's true, you do. You are both good looking guys. But Sasuke," Naruto leaned forward, his hand coming to rest on the pale boy's thigh, "you are so damn sexy." The hand snaked further between Sasuke's legs, slowly traveling up, "Do you have any idea how hot you get me?" Naruto leaned in further, until his lips were brushing against pale skin, "How hard?"

* * *

Itachi was talking to a brunette, his hand gently resting on the small of her back. She explained to him that her and her coworkers were on their way to a conference when their plane was also rerouted. They didn't know when they would be able to get back in the air, it had already been several hours. And drinks.

"Would you ladies like to join me? I am sitting over there," he nodded behind him without turning around, "with my brother and his friend. We would love the company."

The brunette looked past Itachi, raised an eyebrow and after a moment looked back, "You mean the two guys necking on the couch?"

Itachi's head snapped around so fast he could have gotten whiplash. There, on the loveseat, he saw Naruto leaning in to Sasuke, whispering something. The young Uchiha tilted his head and allowed the blond to nuzzle into his neck.

"Hn," Itachi turned back to the brunette, "Well then. How would you like to have a little fun?"

* * *

"Follow my lead ladies," the elder Uchiha brother instructed as they walked back to the sitting area.

They made sure to make their presence known as Itachi sauntered up to the loveseat with three women in tow. Naruto quickly put some space between himself and Sasuke as the group approached.

"I decided to bring you boys some brandy. That is Brandy with a 'y'," he gestured for a blonde to take a seat on Naruto's lap, "and Brandi with an 'i'."

Another blonde settled into Sasuke's lap, her arms encircling his head as she did so. Sasuke just glared at his brother as Itachi took a seat with his brunette. Naruto shifted his nervous gaze to the raven-haired boy, then Itachi and finally to the blonde on his lap. He forced a grin and she smiled back.

"So, tell me more about this experiment of yours," Itachi smirked at the boys on the couch.

"What experiment?" Naruto's blonde asked, carding her fingers through his hair.

Sasuke's blonde giggled and bounced, "Ooh... I love science!"

The younger Uchiha shot a frigid glare to his brother, which only fed Itachi's smirk.

After a moment passed with no reply Naruto finally spoke, "We are going the next 3 days without sleep to see what kind of effects it will have on us."

Naruto's blonde hummed, "No sleep huh?" She lowered her voice, "What are you planning on doing with all that spare time?"

Her fingers were following Naruto's hairline along the nape of his neck and up behind his ear. She stroked the skin there and Sasuke took notice when he saw Naruto's eyelids flutter reflexively. The pale boy grabbed his blonde by the waist and shoved her forward before standing.

"That's it. We are going," he offered his brother a sardonic smile, "Itachi it has been a pleasure, but I'm afraid we must be leaving now."

"I don't think so," Itachi replied coolly.

"No?" He reached down, grabbed Naruto by the wrist and yanked him up, his blonde stumbled to her feet.

"No," the elder Uchiha replied, "you see, I haven't called for your car yet. And believe me when I tell you your credit card will be canceled by the time you reach the transportation counter."

Sasuke glared down at his smiling brother. Naruto couldn't afford a taxi and they were too young to rent a car. As Sasuke considered their options he heard a trill emanating from his pocket. He cursed and bent down to open up his bag. He pulled out both cameras and shoved one over to Naruto.

"Jesus fuck!" he exclaimed as he turned on the device, "We are fucking awake!"

Naruto turned to look at his own camera and smiled sheepishly into it, "What he said."

The cameras were tossed back into the bag and Sasuke huffed. He'd lost his train of thought. _Cab? No. Call Neji?_

"Sit down," Itachi ordered and all four of them immediately acquiesced, "Sasuke, please enlighten me as to this abnormally rude behavior."

Naruto and Sasuke sat sandwiched between the two blondes on the loveseat. The pale boy simply stared at his brother, no doubt trying to decide what to say. Naruto didn't even think about his actions before he grabbed hold of Sasuke's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Onyx eyes flitted down to look at their hands and the air around the pale boy immediately relaxed. He turned his palm up and intertwined their fingers.

Looking back up, Sasuke spoke with renewed confidence, "I don't appreciate people coming on to my boyfriend."

Itachi's eyes widened by millimeters, but Sasuke read the expression without fail. It was surprise – not anger or disgust, but genuine surprise.

"How long?" Itachi asked, his voice was markedly warmer.

"I have been in love with him since you left to work for the company," Sasuke had to force his voice to keep steady, "but we haven't been together long."

Itachi's expression turned dubious, "What about our business trips? You mean to say that you were simply indulging me?"

"More or less," Sasuke deadpanned.

"I don't know that I believe you," Itachi's eyes narrowed.

"What? You want me to prove it?" Sasuke's tone was laced with hostility. Itachi gave a small shrug.

Sasuke offered his brother a defiant glare and turned to Naruto, his expression softening immediately. With his free hand he reached out and ran his fingers along the side of Naruto's face, trailing down from his temple to the curve of his jaw. The hand snaked around behind his head and nestled into blond locks. Their gazes met with a palpable intensity.

"Naruto," Sasuke almost whispered. He leaned forward until their lips just barely brushed together, "I love you."

The blond had enough time to whimper before pale lips descended on his own. The kiss was slow and deep. Sasuke only had to open his mouth a little before Naruto responded with a hungry tongue. The sweet clash of muscles moved into Naruto's mouth and a shudder went soaring through the blond. Sasuke offered one finally flick of his tongue before retreating. Naruto followed with a small mewl and then the kiss was broken. Sasuke pressed his forehead against the blond's and smiled as he peered into those deep azure eyes.

Naruto released a shaky breath, and in soft Japanese spoke, "I love you too."

* * *

**A/N: YAY! He said it!**


	20. TGIF

**A/N: I hope everybody has recovered from any squeal/fainting episodes that may have occurred as a result of the last chapter. I'm happy that so many of you enjoyed the post! Thanks also to those that found the time to check out my new fic and don't worry, it is in no way going to hinder me from posting to this story. As always I appreciate your comments/critiques. :) Enjoy!**

**Warnings: You are all very, very lucky. I had full intentions of leaving this chapter as a major cock tease but it was just too short so I moved the lime up. I hope you all enjoy the delectable citrus I have left for you here. )**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the things I do to them. **

* * *

Sasuke stared at Naruto with widened eyes; they were dark and glistening, like a night sky filled with stars. Naruto found himself getting lost in the unfathomable depths. His own expression was one of mild surprise. Not so much shock at the words themselves, but that he had spoken them aloud. The timing was perfect but the setting was not; such an exchange would have been better without the audience. The moment was tender and beautiful and quickly ruined by the bubbly blonde at Sasuke's side.

"That was hot..." she giggled.

Sasuke turned to her with a chilling glare. The gaze moved to Itachi and intensified when Sasuke saw the smirk on his brother's face. He looked strangely satisfied and it only served to piss Sasuke off more.

"Are you happy?" The younger Uchiha demanded.

Itachi blinked languidly, "Quite." Sasuke began to bristle, the grip he had on Naruto's hand tightening. Before he was able to go into a tirade the elder brother spoke again, "I am very happy for you."

"What?" Sasuke released a breath, effectively deflating him.

"I had my suspicions, but you were always so... elusive and I didn't dare make any assumptions," Itachi shrugged, "and after all those fem Narutos you slept with during your internship, I really had no idea what to think."

Sasuke tensed, he pursed his lips and closed his eyes but he could still feel the confused stare emanating from cobalt eyes. The blond cocked his head slightly, "What?"

Itachi feigned a grimace, "Oops. Did Sasuke not tell you about the ladies he entertained during his business trips?"

Naruto turned to Itachi, "No, he told me about them. Or at least that there were women... but he never _described_ them."

The elder Uchiha chuckled, "Oh, I see. There were three of them if I recall correctly and they all shared a few common features..." he looked Naruto up and down, "your features."

"Really?" Naruto smiled in amusement.

Sasuke was cursing in his head, he opened his eyes to glare at his brother – wishing his eyes had the power to set the man ablaze. Itachi only smiled back, thoroughly pleased.

"You know Sasuke. I never really thought about it before, but I suppose it is safe to assume you were thinking about Naruto during those... interactions. Tell me," Itachi paused, a glint of pure evil flickered behind his dark eyes, "did you fuck them the way you wanted to fuck him?"

* * *

_The back seats of police cars are not very comfortable._ It was knowledge that neither Naruto nor Sasuke ever thought they would learn first hand. Luckily they didn't get to learn what handcuffs felt like – after all, there are much more pleasant circumstances that could supply that information. Technically, however, they were not under arrest; they were being escorted back to their dorm. Even more technically, Naruto did not _have_ be in the back seat with Sasuke but he chose to stay by the pale boy.

Itachi had been gracious enough not to press charges, in fact he laughed as the police officer wrote up Sasuke's citation for fifth degree assault. The elder Uchiha tried to convince the officers to let Sasuke off with a warning but they insisted some sort of action be taken – when the police respond to incidents at an international airport an example must be set. Sasuke held his $1,000 citation in a clenched fist as he and Naruto were escorted from the terminal.

It had been worth it. There had been a smug expression on Sasuke's face as airport security pulled him off his brother. He had caught Itachi off guard and landed a punch square in the prick's pretty face. Itachi would have to return to the office with a shiner he received from his younger brother – it was a grand well spent. The girls had been a little shaken up, but even they couldn't help but be amused by the fight. Naruto's blonde had waited around with Sasuke's bag until they were released from airport custody and turned over to the local authorities. She even took out their cameras and recorded a rather comical scene when Sasuke's alarm went off during questioning. While he was grateful to her for that, Sasuke knew it was undoubtedly going to cause Iruka to ask questions during their next visit.

The rain had finally stopped by the time the cruiser pulled up to the dorms. Sasuke and Naruto were let out and given one last warning to behave before the officers drove off. It was officially Friday – a great way to start the day. Neither boy really felt like returning to the room, they opted instead to head off campus and find a 24 hour diner for a little early breakfast.

"So..." Naruto stabbed his eggs and watched as yolk oozed out, "what was up with that tonight?"

Sasuke smirked, recognizing how the tables had turned since a few hours earlier, "Can't I just say that I'm tired?"

Naruto huffed a laugh and smiled. He imagined Sasuke's answer would be much like his own. _Don't fuck with my boyfriend_. It pleased him to know that were both slightly possessive of each other, that they cared equally about one another. The fact that they were both so sensitive about the subject must mean that it was important, and that made his stomach flutter. He loved Sasuke and Sasuke felt the same about him; and that love was strong enough to drive them to violence if provoked. He chuckled to himself.

* * *

The air at three in the morning smelled different. It was crisp and light and filled with potential. Leaving the diner, the boys took a leisurely stroll down side streets and alleys – keeping to dark places that wouldn't expose their activities. When the moment struck them, they couldn't care if they were next to a dumpster or standing in a puddle – the only thing that mattered was their feverish embrace and pleasure it created.

They were back on campus, holding hands as they walked, when the sky began to lighten. Naruto stopped to yawn and Sasuke kept walking, tugging the blond along. Though they had plenty of time, Sasuke wanted to return to his room and get a cold shower in before class.

The blast of frigid water was exhilarating and Sasuke was surprised by how renewed he felt afterward. By all estimates he was on his third wind, the big question was how long it would last. When he returned to his room it was to find Naruto doing a hand stand. The sight left the pale boy speechless. The blond was in his boxers, propped up against a wall, toes pointing at Sasuke's head. Naruto's face was red and Sasuke wondered how long the blond had been standing like that.

"Hey," Naruto huffed at the raven-haired boy.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto's face and held back his amusement, "What are you doing dobe?"

"I thought that..." the blond began to waver, "watch out," he warned as he fell forward. Naruto caught himself on his feet and hopped up, he turned to face Sasuke before continuing, "I thought that my brain would be less tired if it had more blood."

Sasuke nodded, "Okay... so you are experiencing poor judgment," he smirked, "a clear sign of fatigue."

Naruto glared, "I didn't fall asleep did I?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to his closet. He stood, staring at his clothes for quite a few minutes – never picking out a single thing to wear. Naruto had gotten into his bag and dressed before Sasuke had even removed the towel from around his hips. The blond watched as Sasuke stared, in what appeared to be deep thought, at his closet.

"Sasuke?" Naruto queried.

The raven-haired boy snapped back to reality. He blinked at his closet and then at Naruto, who was looking at him expectantly.

"What was I doing?" Sasuke asked as if he had just returned from a dream.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "You were getting dressed."

Sasuke looked down at himself as if he had forgotten he was only in a towel. He clenched his jaw in irritation and yanked a shirt out from his closet followed by a pair of pants. This was definitely not going to be a good day.

* * *

"Hour 25... I think... and we are still awake," Naruto spoke into his camera as he walked next to Sasuke, "but fatigue has definitely started to set in. We aren't... uh, thinking so good." There was a snort from the pale boy and Naruto shot him a dirty look, "Hey at least I was able to dress myself this morning."

Naruto shut off his camera and shoved it back into his bag. He took his now free hand and found Sasuke's. Walking to class, their fingers intertwined, felt so normal and natural – as if they had always done it. Sasuke would rub his thumb along Naruto's as if in reminder that he was there and Naruto would smile and squeeze back.

They parted after arriving at their classroom, taking their seats side by side but no longer touching. It was a long hour, maybe the longest all semester. Naruto must have yawned 15 times during the lecture and he didn't write a single word. _Useless_. By the end of the class he had determined the entire day was going to be waste. He couldn't remember what had been said three minutes ago – there was no way he was going to retain anything today.

As they moved down the hall and toward the exit Naruto shoved Sasuke, throwing all of his weight into the pale boy and pushing him into a door. They tumbled through the entrance to the mens' restroom and Sasuke found himself pinned against a tiled wall next to paper towel dispenser.

"What the _fuck_ dobe?" Sasuke growled.

Naruto didn't seem to hear the raven-haired boy, or if he did the angry tone was not registered. The blond pressed himself into the pale boy's body, slipping a thigh between his legs and grinding lightly. Naruto brought his mouth to Sasuke's ear, lips grazing the flesh as he softly groaned.

"Let's fuck today," Naruto purred.

Sasuke's eyes shot wide open and he pushed the blond back, "WHAT?"

The blond cocked his head, "I said 'fuck today'."

"No," Sasuke shook his head, "you said '_let's_ fuck today'."

Naruto blinked, after a moment his face reflected minor shock and embarrassment, "Whoops."

The blond giggled and pressed himself against Sasuke again. He nuzzled into the pale neck and let his tongue wander along the skin it found. Naruto rolled his hips at a deliciously slow pace and whispered Sasuke's name. The raven-haired boy felt his head drop against the wall and allowed himself to ignore swinging door as students exited the bathroom – funny how nobody seemed willing to enter.

"I'm going to try that again," Naruto pulled his face away from Sasuke and cleared his throat, "fuck today. Let's skip class."

Sasuke looked back to Naruto and sighed, "I can't."

"Why not? You aren't going to remember anything," Naruto argued, "besides Neji and Sakura can give you their notes."

It was a decent argument made better by the leg rubbing persistently against Sasuke's hard on. At this rate he wouldn't be able to concentrate no matter how much he tried. It was bad enough that he couldn't focus, but he stood no chance against the replaying of those three words. _Let's fuck today_. No, Sasuke had been thoroughly trumped – going to class would only be an exercise in futility.

* * *

The dorm hallway was desolate, not surprising considering most students were in class at the moment. So the boys took their time at the door, fumbling kisses and keys. Once inside they stumbled to Sasuke's bed and collapsed in a heap.

Peeling off each other's clothes was a slow and tender process. Because they had the time. Hands explored under fabric before pulling it away to reveal the skin underneath. Pale skin. Tanned skin. Smooth. Goosebumps. Naked bodies pressed against one another and despite the exchange of heat, the air was still too cold to be ignored. They moved under the covers. The air there was thick and warm, wrapping them in a cocoon of panting breaths. It was dark under Sasuke's black comforter but they were familiar with the contours of each other's bodies – it wasn't hard to figure out who was where.

Somewhere outside the world of the twin bed an alarm went off. Sasuke growled as he threw back the blanket and fished around the mattress until he located their bags. He hoisted them up and extracted a camera from each. They appeared flushed and slightly disheveled on the camera screens, but the update was kept brief – hopefully quick enough to avoid suspicion.

Sasuke nestled into the blond below him, shifting his weight to cuddle Naruto's side rather than lay on top of him. Pale fingers smoothed down blond spikes only to have them pop back into place after the hand had moved on. Naruto turned his face away from Sasuke and nuzzled into the hand that rested near his temple. The raven-haired boy placed gentle kisses along the column of Naruto's neck.

"Dobe?" Sasuke mumbled against warm skin. There was a hum in response and the pale boy continued, "How do you know Gaara?"

It was one of many questions Sasuke never had the opportunity to ask and for reasons he didn't know, it had drifted to front of Sasuke's mind. It wasn't necessarily an important question, but it was a more intriguing one. He could feel Naruto's pulse deepen under his lips – it was only slightly stronger, only a bit more rapid.

There was an audible wince in the blond's voice, "The LGBTQ."

"Hn," Sasuke's tongue slid out and ran along a steadily beating path, "why were you there?"

Naruto gulped, causing his throat to momentarily recede from Sasuke's touch, "Why do _you_ go there?"

_Touche, dobe_. Sasuke smirked and angled his head to allow his lips better access. They applied themselves to the side of Naruto's neck with force before being joined by teeth. Naruto laughed at first, the blunt incisors scraping along his muscles was like an odd massage. Then the mouth began to suck, punishing the flesh under it and Naruto grunted before shoving the pale boy away.

"Okay... fine," he rubbed his neck and shot a glare to Sasuke, "damn leech. But I have a request first."

Sasuke leaned back and allowed Naruto to scoot himself up against the cinder block wall; it was cold and caused the blond to break out in goosebumps. He pulled the blanket up to cover himself and smirked when most of Sasuke's naked form was revealed as a result.

"You said when you fucked people... like Gaara, you would have rather been jacking off to thoughts of me," it wasn't really a question but Sasuke nodded in affirmation anyway, "I'd like to see that."

A dark eyebrow arched, "See _what_ exactly?"

Naruto leaned forward, eyes teasing, "I want to watch you."

The other eyebrow raised to join its dark companion, "You want to watch me jack off?"

The blond nodded, azure eyes wide and bright. Naruto's bottom lip found it's way between his teeth and he batted his golden eye lashes. It was a pleading expression that not even an Uchiha could resist.

Sasuke took his time contemplating the request – after all, it wasn't like this was a petition he commonly received. Was this simply Naruto trying to get a little kinky? Or was it a test? Because it was a serious leap of faith for Sasuke to even admit he masturbated; performing the action in front of another required shedding all his pride.

Perhaps that was digging a little too deep, it was Naruto after all. It was probably just curiosity that had him asking such a thing. But, knowing the blond, if the request was denied it would soon turn into a challenge. Sasuke opted to skip the arguing and concede.

The pale boy scooted to the other end of the bed and nodded to the nightstand. Naruto giddily opened the drawer and pulled out the small bottle of lube he had familiarized himself with. He tossed it to Sasuke and snuggled under the comforter, pulling it up to his chin while his head was propped up with a pillow. The blond was ready for a show.

* * *

Sasuke smoothed the liquid in his hand against his semi hard cock. He closed his eyes and allowed the sensation to flood him; to let go of the niggling shame and be absorbed by the undeniable eroticism. The length hardened as he made leisurely strokes.

Despite his initial reluctance, Sasuke was determined to enjoy this. It wasn't the kind of masturbation that was performed in front of a computer screen or magazine – hunched and frantic to find completion. This was an exploration of orgasm – sensual and protracted. Not exactly tantric masturbation, but something close to it.

Sasuke's head fell back against the wall and he bit his lip as his grip strengthened. His pace was still slow and steady – firm strokes. Sasuke could feel an urge rising in him, making forceful demands. _Faster. Ah, faster dammit._ But instead he focused his attention on the head, twisting his fist around it and running his thumb along the slit. Pulling out every possible sensation.

Cobalt eyes watched as Sasuke touched himself. They were hungry and only getting more ravenous with each stroke. Naruto tried to ignore the aching, but it was too fucking strong. His hand moved under the covers to grip a throbbing erection. When a moan slipped past Sasuke's lips it was too much to bear, Naruto's hand began to pump.

"Wha..." Naruto stopped to groan as tension began to build in his groin, spreading through his stomach, "What are you thinking about?"

Sasuke moaned, his pace quickened in response to Naruto's voice. The pale boy's breathing was getting more shallow with each passing minute. He didn't know how long he would be able to draw this out.

"I'm thinking... nngh," Sasuke's eyes clenched tighter, "about you."

"Y-yeah?" Naruto breathed, his own strokes growing in strength and speed.

Sasuke nodded and tweaked his eyebrows in pleasure. It was that intense kind of pleasure, the sort that reminds you that an orgasm is really a form of pain. Excruciating and beautiful pain. He was close.

"I'm thinking about... fucking you," Sasuke whisper huskily. His strokes became long again as he imagined thrusting into the blond, "aahhh...about burying my dick in you."

Naruto's breathing hitched but he held back, biting his lip in attempt to restrain himself. To keep the dam from breaking from the flood of pleasure that threatened to burst from him.

"Sasuke..." the blond moaned when he realized he wouldn't last much longer.

It was torture, but he didn't want it to end. Not just that, Naruto wanted more. He wanted Sasuke to bring him there with more than just his presence. Naruto wanted Sasuke's touch. He needed it, like he needed air in his lungs.

Naruto leapt forward and took up Sasuke's ministrations. The pale boy was a little startled as Naruto took hold of his hard length, but he did not complain as the hand began to work him. The blond leaned down into the Sasuke's lap and kissed the inside of a pale thigh as he pumped the throbbing cock. Naruto's ass was poised in the air as his head was buried between Sasuke's legs; he wiggled his backside – just a little. Sasuke didn't smirk, he obliged the blond graciously.

With fingers still moistened from working himself, Sasuke slowly began to rub between Naruto's ass cheeks. Running along the crack and against his taint until they dug into the back of Naruto's sac. The fingertips pressed into flesh as they pulled backward and rubbed around the quivering entrance. Sasuke massaged the hole, drawing out hisses and sighs from the blond in his lap. Naruto's strokes became jerky as his entrance was toyed with.

Sasuke slowly pushed in a single digit, rubbing along the tight ring of muscle until the finger was completely enveloped. He waited as Naruto relaxed around him and then slowly began to pull the digit out. Naruto pumped Sasuke steadily until the finger began to push back in – at that he tightened his grip and twisted his fist around Sasuke's weeping tip. After a few strokes the two hands began to move in time – Sasuke's finger pistoning in and out of Naruto while the blond's fist slid up and down.

The second finger, even crossed over the first, was a bit of a shock and Naruto bit into Sasuke's thigh when it was introduced. Sasuke fumbled around with his free hand until he located the bottle of lube. He flipped up the cap, reached across the blond and tipped the bottle. Clear liquid drizzled onto Sasuke's stilled fingers and slowly he began to move them again, gently running his digits against the tightly muscled walls. Despite the slight discomfort, Naruto never stopped stroking Sasuke's cock.

Naruto's soft whimpers began to transform into moans and gradually his hips began to rock. Sasuke's probing digits moved with controlled speed and strength, in and out of the tight channel. Naruto groaned into a pale thigh, his strokes becoming faster and more frantic. They moved in tandem, their independent motions becoming fluid. Stroke up, push in; stroke down, pull back – all the time, hips rocking and rocking.

Sasuke twisted his hand, shifted his angle and ran his fingers firmly against the hot wall. It didn't take long before he located that sweet bulge and drug his slender digits against it. Naruto's grip tightened and strangled the pale boy's cock as he cried out.

"Sasuke...!" Naruto's anguished scream dripped with ecstasy.

The pale fingers pulled out further, pushed back in and raked against the spot again. This time Naruto's screams were incoherent curses against his leg. He ran a tight fist faster along Sasuke's hard length, twisting the swollen head.

Once more Sasuke thrust his digits in and pressed into the wall, the blond clenched down around the fingers and released a punctuated cry before he came. Naruto continued frenzied pumps even as his cock pulsed and spilled and within seconds Sasuke grunted through his own release. The blond released the throbbing erection and collapsed across pale legs. Sasuke smiled down at Naruto, watching as the blond's back rose and fell in deep, panting breaths. _And to think, I would be in Ethics right now if it weren't for him_ - sometimes Sasuke thought his boyfriend was really some sort of savant.

* * *

**A/N: Feel free to let me know if you liked you citrusy gift XD**


	21. Coming Clean

**A/N: Hello dear readers! I'm glad you all enjoyed your little citrus gift last chapter, I promise it won't be long until you get your full blown lemon. I'm happy to say that my plot bunnies have been working furiously and not only am I nearing completion on this fic but I have been inspired yet again. Please keep your reviews coming, they are truly appreciated - you guys help me to know when I am doing something right and when I need to be doing something better. So thank you for reading and extra thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!**

**Warnings: As bad as this chapter wants a lime, it only gets a hint. Please enjoy this squeeze.**

**Disclaimer: I wished I owned Naruto, oh the things I would do... but alas I do not.**

* * *

The laundry room was empty save for Naruto and Sasuke. The only sounds were the tumbling of the dryer and throaty moans of the blond pushed up against the wall next to the washer. They tried to be patient, to wait until the comforter was clean and dry and they were back upstairs – but it was taking to damn long... and the laundry room was empty.

Just under 60 minutes had passed since the soiled black blanket had been tossed into the washer. In the first half hour, the boys engaged in behavior fitting for the public space and made their hourly check in. It was when the blanket was moved from the washer to the dryer that things got out of control. If a single individual had to be blamed, it would have to be the inventor of front loading dryers. Because nobody could blame Sasuke for pouncing when the blond bent over to shove the comforter in the machine.

The collision had been rather violent, sending Naruto crashing into the cool metal of the dryer. His knees knocked the door closed and he scrambled to turn nobs and press buttons in order to turn the machine on. But fuck if the dryer was the only thing to be turned on.

Sasuke leaned over Naruto's bent form and traced his tongue along the shell of the blond's ear. He pulled back to plant kisses down his neck and tugged the collar of Naruto's shirt with his teeth, attempting to expose more skin. All the while, Sasuke's hands gripped the blond's hips and held them firmly in place as he ground into Naruto's ass. _Fucking hot, tight ass_. Sasuke's hard length pressed against Naruto, trying to fit as best he could between the clothed cheeks. Rolling his hips harder, Sasuke groaned into Naruto's neck.

Retrospectively it would seem strange – considering how much close contact they had had whilst completely naked – but Sasuke was suddenly hit with the revelation that this was closest to actually fucking they had ever been. This was the first time their... positions... had been demonstrated – Naruto bent over and Sasuke desperately trying to shove himself inside the blond. If it weren't for their fucking clothes...

The thought crossed Sasuke's mind – how easily they could tug down denim and cloth and rut like wild beasts. Except that wasn't the reality of the situation. In reality, Naruto would scream and cry and bleed. In reality, Sasuke would wedge himself into a space not prepared to accommodate him and between the overwhelming tightness and excruciating wails he would be more likely to hurt himself than cum.

But God how he wished he could. He wished he lived in that fantasy world where he would just slide in and thrust to his heart's content. In and out of the delicious, tight heat while Naruto rocked his hips back begged to be pounded harder. And he would, slowly at first – pulling himself almost completely out and then ramming back in. Each interval would be a little faster and a little harder until Naruto was screaming his name and slamming into the now warm dryer.

"Jesus," Sasuke moaned against Naruto's hot skin.

He flipped the blond and pulled him flush against his chest. They clumsily maneuvered until Naruto had his back against the wall and a thigh between his legs. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hands and brought them above the blond's head, fingers interlaced. Hasty, wet kisses were planted where ever skin was exposed. Teeth grazed flesh. Mouths sucked. Tongues rolled. The pale body continued to press and grind until the shrill buzz of the dryer cut through the moans.

Sasuke cursed and pressed his forehead against Naruto's shoulder. He released tan hands and slowly backed away. His gaze finally broke away from the blond and he turned his attention to the dryer. He reached in, fumbled with the blanket and sighed. He shut the door and turned the machine back on.

"Not dry yet," he turned to the blond that still stood, disheveled and reeking of desire, against the opposite wall, "next time we need..."

Naruto cocked his head as Sasuke trailed off, his attention suddenly redirected to the door. Naruto turned and watched as a brunette walked in and tossed a bag of laundry at the washer. He frowned and turned back to the pale boy. _Damn._

The two boys sat down across the room from the dryer, each glaring at the machine that seemed inclined to take its sweet ass time drying one comforter. The girl stood on the other side of the room, her back to the boys as she filled the washer.

A mischievous grin crept across Naruto's lips and he leaned over to Sasuke, "What do you want for lunch teme?" The pale boy shrugged, the blond switched tongues but did not bother to lower his voice, "I was thinking about eating your sweet ass."

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction before he replied in the same language, "Watch it dobe."

"What? She can't understand us," Naruto replied with a nod toward the brunette.

"You don't know that," Sasuke turned to him with a halfhearted glare.

The blond grinned back, "Oh yeah. Well lets see," he turned to the girl and raised his voice slightly, "Excuse me?"

Nothing.

"Miss?"

Still no response.

"Sugar tits!"

She sprinkled detergent into the washer.

"Okay," Sasuke growled, "you made your point."

Naruto grinned cheekily, "As I was saying... what is on the menu for lunch?"

* * *

"What?" Naruto turned to the pale boy sitting next to him on the couch.

Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow, "What?"

"I thought you said something," the blond replied quietly.

"Nope," Sasuke responded through a yawn.

Naruto was blinking slowly, eyes struggling more and more to reopen. It was early in the afternoon, their roommates were still in class and the two boys were thoroughly spent. "Lunch" had included a hefty serving of hot dick, Naruto received his requested sweet ass and both washed the meal down with a helping of salty cum. All in all it was a well rounded and balanced meal.

But cumming twice in such a short period of time had left them exhausted beyond their sleep deprived state. Their minds were cloudy and bodies tired. So now they sat, collapsed on the couch in front of the TV in the commons room. Sasuke almost growled as he stood up and the blond fell to the cushion, having lost the body that was supporting him.

"Come on," a pale hand was extend to Naruto's face.

The blond opened one eye and glared at the appendage,"What?" Naruto whined.

"Let's go for a walk," Sasuke pushed his hand further into Naruto's face.

Naruto rolled into a sitting position and pouted for a moment before accepting the hand. Sasuke didn't let go as they walked out of the commons room and down the hall. They pushed through the exit door and were immediately shocked by the cold breeze that whipped around them.

The blond turned on his heels, "Jacket."

But Sasuke's feet stayed planted on the pavement. Naruto tugged at the pale arm, "Teme... cold. Must... jacket."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the pleading blond, "It's better this way."

Naruto's lips turned into a pout, his big blue eyes glistening as he blinked at the raven-haired boy. Sasuke shook his head, "Don't try to play all sweet and innocent. You lost that ability when you shoved your tongue in my ass. Now come on."

The pale boy stalked forward, pulling the whining blond behind him. Eventually Naruto stopped resisting and fell in step next to Sasuke. They took a meandering path around their dorm building and into the heart of the campus.

The cold autumn breeze continued to blow around them, sending leaves scattering about in whirls of yellow, orange and red. Naruto snuggled up to Sasuke, attempting to extract whatever warmth he could from the pale body.

They soon found themselves in a more secluded spot; a sitting area with trees and scattered picnic tables. Naruto recognized the place, though it looked different in the daylight on this late fall afternoon. The blond led them to a table far from the walkway and sat down, feet brushing against the concrete. Sasuke parted Naruto's legs and moved to stand between them. Pale hands moved to explore Naruto's chest before traveling over his shoulders and sliding down his back. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke and, gripping the raven-haired boy's shirt, pulled him closer. It was a much different reaction than he had experienced the last time he was here.

Sasuke nudged the blond with his nose, gently tipping Naruto's face up until their lips brushed. Softly, Sasuke's tongue traced the full pink lips. He had no intention of exploring any further, he simply wanted to experience the sensation of supple flesh against his tongue.

"Dobe..." he whispered against Naruto's mouth. The blond purred in response and Sasuke pulled back slightly, "you never did tell me about the LGBTQ."

Naruto chuckled nervously and smiled as he pulled back, "Oh yeah... right."

Tan hands gripped Sasuke's waist and pushed him back before Naruto moved to stand. The blond took Sasuke's hand and began to walk back toward their dorm. Dark eyes continued to pierce Naruto until he finally broke.

"So the day after we got back from the sweat lodge I went to a meeting," Naruto's eyes flitted over to meet the midnight gaze, "you may remember that as the day you confessed your love for me."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, "You were there?"

Naruto grinned, "Yeah, I was in the back, hiding under my hoodie."

"You were the creepy kid?" Sasuke smirked.

Naruto glared his response and huffed as he picked up the pace. Sasuke chuckled as the blond tugged him along the sidewalk. After a minute Naruto returned to his original gait.

"Anyway," Naruto shot Sasuke another dirty look, "that is when I met Gaara."

Sasuke nodded. He appeared placated for a moment before he realized that Naruto had avoided answering his question. He turned to the blond, "And the day you stormed into my room?"

"Well..." Naruto grinned, "I was looking for a little advice and I didn't have anywhere else to go."

Sasuke furrowed his brow, "Why couldn't you talk to me?"

Naruto sniffed, "It's personal."

The raven-haired boy stopped, "So personal you can't even tell your boyfriend?"

The blond looked up contemplatively and then back down with a cheeky grin, "Especially not my boyfriend."

Sasuke's eyes slit into a glare. He did not appreciate the blond's elusive attitude. If his brain were functioning at full capacity he would probably be able to figure out what was going on himself – or at least trick Naruto into giving up more information. But he was too tired to fight, if he didn't figure it out by Sunday, he would get his answer after he was fully recuperated.

* * *

The growling complaints of Naruto's stomach forced a detour from their route back to the dorm. They sat in the student union and enjoyed their lunch in peace. Briefly. Naruto had finished slurping up his spaghetti and was eying one of Sasuke's meatballs when a familiar voice cut through the cafeteria din.

"Hey!" Sakura waived over enthusiastically as she approached their table.

Sasuke huffed and Naruto acknowledged her with a grin before striking like a cobra at Sasuke's plate. Onyx eyes slitted into an unconvincing glare as the blond happily swallowed his pilfered treat.

"How are my favorite boys?" The pink-haired girl asked with a teasing glint in her eye.

Ever since the Saturday after their first official date Sakura wore the same satisfied grin; like she was the entire reason they were together. That was probably more true than either boy would admit. But rather than acknowledge her assistance they simply teased her. She didn't mind, she knew the role she had played.

"Hey Sakura!" Naruto leaned back, hands nesting behind his head.

Teasing emerald eyes drifted between the two boys as Sakura sat in the empty chair at the table, "So Sasuke... I didn't see you in Statistics. It isn't like you to miss class," she pursed her lips and tapped her chin, a smirk threatening to take hold, "I wonder what could have kept you."

Midnight eyes blinked at the pink-haired girl before turning to the blond, "You see Naruto. I knew it was a bad idea to skip class. My perfect attendance is shot and now Sakura is making googly eyes at me."

Naruto laughed while Sakura huffed. She crossed her arms and replied with an indignant tone, "I'm not making googly eyes," the smirk crept back, "I'm simply inquiring as to the nature of your absence."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "While I appreciate your concern, the _nature_ of my absence is none of your concern."

"Fine," Sakura threw her hands up in concession, "you don't want to share... then neither do I."

Sasuke lips pursed into a thin line, "You are going to withhold today's notes?"

Sakura shrugged, "We also got a sample test for the final... some of those questions are rough. I barely understood it... and I was there."

The onyx glare leveled on Sakura slowly moved to Naruto; the blond gulped, it seemed that Sasuke was blaming him. Just because Naruto seduced him and convinced him to skip class... didn't make it Naruto's fault. _Hmm..._

"Sakura..." Naruto leaned towards her and motioned for her to close the gap.

The blond spoke softly into Sakura's ear and try as he might, Sasuke could not make out the words. Green eyes widened slowly. Sasuke arched an eyebrow at the deep blush that took over her face as Naruto lifted his hand, displaying two extended fingers. After another moment Naruto pulled back, apparently satisfied.

Sakura's shocked expression shifted into a lecherous gaze as she turned to Sasuke, "You can _keep_ my notes."

* * *

After two check ins in the commons room and one back in Sasuke's room the boys were thoroughly bored. Neji and Kiba had returned from class and joined them in the late afternoon but their company was short lived. Neji had a study group and Kiba had a date. They went their separate ways.

Naruto and Sasuke sat on the floor in Sasuke's room surrounded by scattered articles of clothing. The blond was still wearing his pants, but the rest of his clothes had been removed. Sasuke fared much better, he was only down by one sock. Strip poker was a fantastic idea.

The blond stared hard at the cards in his hand. A pair of twos. _Fucking awesome_.

"Call," Naruto huffed and begrudgingly laid down his meager hand.

Sasuke smirked and began to lower his cards when his phone began to chirp and clatter on the nightstand. He laid his cards face down and moved to answer. There was a moment of agitation before he accepted the call.

Sasuke forced a smile, "Hello, mother."

Naruto leaned over and peaked under Sasuke's cards. He glared at the three of a kind and began to unbutton his jeans.

"Yes, I did see Itachi yesterday," Sasuke's fake smile shifted to a smirk, "oh, you know... we caught up."

Sasuke began to pace the small room, "Oh," a long pause, "well he deserved it, he was being an asshole," he squinted one eye, "sorry."

"Hn," the pale boy stopped, "did he? No, I don't think... Hn."

"Yes... I am dating somebody." Naruto had his pants halfway down his legs when he looked up to see Sasuke's eyes clenched shut, "For a while now. No. No, mother. No... it's Naruto."

The blond pulled the jeans back up and moved toward Sasuke. The pale boy turned his back, "No, I'm dating Naruto," he visibly stiffened, "What do you mean 'what do I mean?' I mean I am dating Naruto, we are together."

"Yes, I am serious!" Sasuke's voice raised, then lowered as he turned back to Naruto, "In fact I would say that _we_ are serious," his smile was brief before a frown took over, "No, no don't... dammit."

Sasuke looked at Naruto with pleading eyes. He put two fingers to his temple and pulled the invisible trigger. As he started to feign death his eyes widened and he stood up straight, "Father," his voice was ice, "yes, you heard her correctly," he furrowed his brow, "this isn't any kind of 'stunt'."

The pale boy took deep breaths through his nose, "What is there to understand? Here, I'll spell it out for you." Sasuke articulated each word with cold precision, "I am gay. I like boys. I love Naruto."

There was a long pause on Sasuke's side. Naruto could hear a muffled voice speaking harshly through the phone. Finally it was Sasuke's turn, "What does that have to do with anything? It's the 21st century father, people don't care... I don't think your shareholders are going to give a shit."

Another, shorter pause and Sasuke was clenching his jaw to keep from interrupting, "What about our name?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, and released a humorless chuckle, "Don't you worry about that. I am sure there is a little bastard Uchiha on every continent."

Sasuke's frigid expression took on a satisfied quality, "That means that Itachi is a man-whore."

Something flashed in Sasuke's eyes, "Tell me father..." Scornful, "which is worse?" Bitter, "Having a little fag son?" Smug, "Or having a son with paternity suit punch card?"

Sasuke flinched with the volume of his father's response. In a firm voice he replied, "No, we won't... there is nothing more to talk about. Either you accept it or you don't but I have nothing more to say. Fine."

Sasuke dropped the hand that held his phone to his ear and stood, staring out the window at the darkening sky. Naruto wrapped his arms around the pale boy's torso and hooked his chin over Sasuke's shoulder. The blond didn't speak a word, he just held Sasuke and took deep breaths.

After a minute Sasuke still showed no sign of expressing emotion; he simply stared, eyes dead, at the world outside his room. Naruto nuzzled into the pale neck and got the tiniest reaction in the form of closed eyes.

Finally Sasuke spoke, his tone subarctic, "The next time I see Itachi, I am going to rip off his balls."

Naruto frowned, his brow knotted in consternation. He pursed his lips and after a moment his eyes lit, "I think I know something that will help relax you."

"I'm really not in the mood right now dobe," Sasuke stated blandly.

Naruto's frown deepened, "Not everything we do has to be sexual teme."

With that the tan arms unwrapped from Sasuke's body. Naruto walked around the room, picking up articles of clothing. Despite his previous statement, the raven-haired boy couldn't help it when his eyes traveled down Naruto's spine and honed in on his firm backside; his tongue swiped subconsciously across pale lips. Sasuke caught the one sock that was tossed his way and raised a dark eyebrow at the blond.

Naruto pulled his shirt on and gave the pale boy a mischievous smirk, "Get your keys."


	22. Shooting Off

**A/N: Hello, hello! Thank you everybody for your reviews. Your comments, ideas and opinions are all fantastic and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. This chapter involved a lot of research on a lot of topics and I hope it paid off, I am counting on you to tell me how I did. Oh, and on a side note - I love discussing my fics and related subjects with my readers but I can't do that if you leave an anonymous review. So if you want to talk to me please either sign in for the review or send me a PM or an email.**

**Warnings: I know how much you all love my limes but gosh darn it I just couldn't fit one in this chapter. I could, however, fit in juicy lemon. I hope that will be good enough. )**

**Disclaimer: Nope - I didn't own Naruto the last 21 chapters and I highly doubt I will own it in the remaining.**

* * *

Naruto had always been a piss poor navigator; constantly giving directions a fraction of a second too late or saying left when he meant right. And that was on a good day. Today, as tired as he was – it was a miracle they made it to their destination.

Sasuke pulled into the poorly maintained parking lot and grimaced as he couldn't avoid several pot holes. He peered up at the sign from the comfort of his leather seat.

"Iou's Weapon Emporium?" He read the flickering neon skeptically.

"Uh huh," Naruto replied as he opened his door.

The blond moved to the front of the car before Sasuke had even taken off his seat belt. Naruto beckoned him enthusiastically and Sasuke groaned as he got out. He eyed the the building warily, the faded green paint was chipping and the iron bars on the window were less than inviting.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Don't be such a priss." That wasn't the word he wanted to use, but he caught his tongue before anything worse came out. Sasuke was a tad bit on edge as it was, no need pissing him off more.

The blond entered, followed closely by Sasuke. The raven-haired boy looked around, his incredulous expression only growing with each new item he viewed. Shotguns behind the counter, bows along the opposite wall and knives everywhere. In the middle and along the opposite wall were shelves and racks holding all kinds of hunting and survival gear. _What the hell are we doing here?_

Naruto made his way to the counter and rang the bell that sat on the glass case. A few seconds passed before a voice called out from behind a door that read _"Employees Only! Trespassers Will Be Shot!"_. Sasuke had a feeling that was less a warning and more a prediction. The blond rang the bell again and once more a disembodied voice responded, this time with a few colorful expletives added in. Naruto grinned and rang the bell a third time.

"Jesus! Don't get your fuckin' panties in a bunch," a girl shouted as she pushed past the door, "what the hell do you..." her eyes widened as she looked at her customers, "hey, Uzumaki!"

"Hey Tenten," Naruto replied with a smile, "how've you been?"

The girl smiled, "Good. And you? I see you are still hanging out with that brooding boyfriend of yours."

The brunette chuckled as she wiped her hands off on a soiled red rag. Naruto blushed, his hand flying up to the back of his head, scratching reflexively.

"Yeah," he said with a grin, eyes flitting over to the pale boy.

Tenten shifted her gaze between the two boys, gears slowly turning. She had shared three classes with Naruto during their freshman year and while their relationship had maintained a strictly platonic status, she had always thought he was straight – a little too attached to his raven-haired friend, sure, but straight nonetheless. She immediately noticed the way the air seemed to thicken when her joke lingered, unrefuted.

Naruto cleared his throat to break the silence, "Sasuke, you remember Tenten? I think we all had lunch together a couple times last year."

Sasuke stared impassively, taking in this girl who seemed to know his boyfriend – and him – well. She wore her espresso hair in two tight buns on either side of her head and a black bandana across her forehead, her short bangs hanging over the cloth. Sasuke turned to the blond, his expression clearly stating that he did not recall the brunette. His irritation was thinly masked, Naruto attempted to soothe the pale boy with a bright smile. He turned back to Tenten, his grin shrinking some.

"So... what can I do for you?" The brunette shoved her rag into the back pocket of her ripped jeans.

"I'm looking for a little stress relief," Naruto replied with a impish glint in his eye.

Tenten smiled and nodded, "I have just what you need. Give me a minute to clean up the back."

The brunette retreated behind the door, leaving an excited blond and perplexed raven in the front. Naruto turned and leaned back against the counter, tapping his fingers absentmindedly against the glass. Dark eyes stared intently, never wavering the from the bright blue that stared back.

"What are we doing here?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"You'll see," the blond grinned back.

* * *

Tenten locked up the front and escorted her guests back behind the heavy door that separated the store from the restricted area. They moved through a cluttered office and down a short hallway until they arrived at yet another door. This one was black except for the spots of flaking paint and the occasional gouge that revealed the metal underneath.

The brunette pushed down the handle and pressed against the door with all of her weight. She bid the boys to enter the room and released the door to slam shut behind them. Sasuke tensed at the resonating clank produced but he didn't look back. The room appeared rather small and nondescript. The cinder block walls begged for a fresh coat of paint and the carpet was wearing thin. There were a few folding chairs and a shelf along the far wall – without those items the room would have been barren. Not even a clock on the wall.

"Set down your stuff and I will find you boys a suitable companion," Tenten nodded to the chairs and moved to a door Sasuke had failed to notice.

As they moved further into the room the pale boy realized what he saw upon entrance was only a small part of the room. To his right, just after the cinder block wall stopped, what he thought was a simple corner turned out to be the beginning of four firing lanes that he judged to be about 30 yards long. A plexiglass wall separated them from the rest of the range.

Naruto slipped his bag off his shoulder and placed it on a chair. He pulled out their cameras and set them on the shelf along with his phone. Sasuke watched the blond, Naruto's casual demeanor seemed to amplify his own apprehension.

"What are we doing here dobe?" Sasuke repeated his earlier question with slightly more irritation.

Naruto turned, "Teme," he allowed a small smirk, "and you always pick on me for being dense."

Sasuke's eyes slit and he opened his mouth to retort when Tenten interrupted, "Okay fellas. Meet your new lovers."

With a bag slung over her shoulder and a gun in either hand, Tenten emerged from the storage room. She moved to the shelf and put down each firearm before shrugging off the sack. She picked one of the guns back up and turned to Sasuke.

With a twinkle in her eye she held the pistol out, as if it were an offering to the raven-haired boy. Sasuke eyed the thing with little appreciation.

Tenten sighed, "She won't bite. Promise."

Sasuke reached out and plucked the gun out of her hands, it was heavier than he anticipated and his fingers tightened around it. It was brushed stainless steal with a black grip. He rotated his hand, examining the gun from different angles. It felt cold against his skin and the hard fluorescent lights only made it appear colder.

"She is a 9 mm Beretta 92FS. Perfect for beginners," Tenten chose to ignore the indignant expression that flashed across Sasuke's face, "she's not too heavy and even though she is a small caliber, she still packs a punch."

Sasuke tweaked a brow as he weighed the gun in his hand, he looked up to the brunette, "She?"

Tenten smiled, "Dangerous and sexy at the same time. Touching it makes your heart beat harder. Yeah, a gun is definitely a 'she'. Just wait until you pull the trigger," the brunette tweaked her brow, "she just might make you switch teams."

Sasuke huffed but Tenten once again ignored him. She turned back to shelf and picked up the other gun, the brunette grinned as she handed the pistol to Naruto.

"This ebony beauty is a Steyr M40-A1. She is a bit more advanced... you think you can handle her?" Tenten asked excitedly.

Naruto took the gun from her hands and ran his fingers along the barrel, eyes scrutinizing the matte black frame. He looked up to the brunette, "She's no lady... is she?"

Tenten smirked and lowered her voice to match Naruto's, "No sir. She's a dirty girl, likes it rough."

"Jesus..." Sasuke growled, "are we going to shoot these things or rub our dicks with them."

Tenten laughed, attention turning to the raven-haired boy, "What you do with your own guns is none of my business... but I would prefer if you kept mine away from your genitals."

Naruto chuckled and moved toward the range, he called out to the brunette as he moved, "Hey Tenten, can you do us a favor and watch my phone. When the alarm goes off I need you to take each of our cameras and record us."

He turned to receive confirmation of his request and got a confused look instead. He sent the brunette a grin and added, "You don't have to record us for long, just enough to prove we are conscious and functioning... it's for a class project."

Tenten's expression remained quizzical for a moment before being replaced with indifference, "Whatever."

She turned to her bag and pulled out more gear. The brunette approached Naruto with a hat, safety glasses and ear plugs. The blond set down his gun and took the accouterments with a nod. Tenten moved to Sasuke and held out the handful of supplies.

He glowered at the offering, "Is all that really necessary?"

Tenten pursed her lips and shrugged, "Suit yourself," she paused and considered whether or not to attempt giving Sasuke a few pointers, "you want me to show you how to hold her?"

Sasuke shot a sideways glare at the brunette and she shrugged again before retreating to take a seat and watch what she was predicting to be a very good show. Naruto – now fitted with a black baseball cap, orange glasses and green ear plugs – got into stance, placing his left foot forward and raising his arms. He tested his grip a few times, wiggling his fingers around and pressing his palms against the butt of the gun. The blond took a few breaths and brought his finger to the trigger. With an indiscernible movement the trigger was pulled and the room was filled with a hollow bang.

The blond turned to Sasuke who furrowed his brow slightly as he raised his own gun. He too stood with his left foot forward but his grip on the gun left something to be desired. He held the pistol tightly in his right hand and with the left cupped the base. He leaned back slightly as he extended both his arms, locking his elbows. Sasuke glared down the range, as if the target was taunting him. A pale index finger came to rest against the trigger and without giving it too much thought pressed back. Nothing.

"Safety," Tenten called from her seat. Her tone was somehow bored and amused at the same time.

Sasuke grumbled to himself as he searched the side of his gun and flipped the safety off. Once more he brought the pistol up and took aim. The seconds leading up to the trigger pull did not give off an ominous air. There was no anticipation for disaster.

Three sounds occurred near simultaneously – the fire of the gun, the crack of metal against bone and the shouting of obscenities. Tenten had to stifle her laughter as she tried to look concerned. The gun was on the ground and Sasuke was doubled over, his right hand clutching at his head. Naruto rushed over and knelt in front of the raven-haired boy.

"Fuck, Sasuke!" The blond held the pale face in his hands. He gently pried Sasuke's hand away from his head and peered up to assess the damage, "oh... oh, its not that bad. Just a nick."

A bruise was beginning to form on the right side of Sasuke's forehead, about inch below his hairline. The split in pale skin extended half the length of the contusion. Naruto ran his finger along the cut and Sasuke winced. In an act that was both nurturing and apologetic, Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips into the wound. Sasuke would have reacted with resentment if the soft touch hadn't actually felt soothing.

Sasuke pulled back from the blond's grip and gave him a calculating stare. He really wanted to blame Naruto, throw his arms in the air and declare this activity over. But he new it was his own fault for refusing every offer to assist him. His damn pride had caused him this grief and it was his pride that pulled Sasuke to his feet and told him to do it again – _right this time._

* * *

Tenten smiled at the image on the screen as she pointed the video cameras to the boys who were standing back to back in the firing lane. Sasuke was once again in stance, this time with an sturdy grip on his gun. Black spikes were contained under a cap and clear glasses wrapped across his eyes. Naruto was leaning against him, pushing him forward slightly. He could feel the deep breaths of the pale boy and smiled as they began to steady. This time there was a very different effect when the trigger was pulled.

The recoil traveled up Sasuke's rigid arm and terminated in his shoulder. His body shifted slightly, but the pressure from Naruto kept him firmly in place. Naruto's smile grew at the pleased curse released by the raven-haired boy and the gun was fired again. Sasuke quickly emptied all ten rounds into the target.

It was as if each bullet contained a little bit of Sasuke's stress. Each empty casing that flew from the gun meant that much less burdened the pale boy. Anger, fear, guilt, resentment – every negative emotion he was currently harboring – exited Sasuke through the barrel.

Tenten turned the cameras off and retrieved a fresh clip from her bag of goodies. Naruto moved back to his lane as she approached. The sound of the larger caliber rounds resonated through the small room as she replenished Sasuke's pistol.

"So how do you like her?" Tenten asked as she cocked the gun.

Sasuke smiled, it was as close to glee as an Uchiha could get, "She is the best therapist I've ever had."

The brunette laughed and nodded, "Yeah, she is pretty good at getting you in touch with your feelings."

Another reload later and Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief. He felt so light. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the fact that they hadn't eaten for a few hours, but he suspected it was catharsis. He was going to have thank Naruto – many times.

* * *

The trip back to campus was interrupted by a stop off at a fast food joint. The boys filled up on burgers and fries and conversation that bordered on risque. The restaurant was relatively dead and the two sat in a corner booth against the far wall from the counter. It didn't seem so inappropriate when Sasuke grabbed Naruto's salt and grease covered fingers and slowly brought them one at a time to his mouth.

"Mmmm, Naruto," Sasuke stopped stroking his tongue along the digit to speak, "you taste salty."

Naruto tried to glare but the blush on his cheeks overwhelmed the expression, "You are such a pervert."

Sasuke bobbed his head on the finger, scraping his teeth along the knuckles, "You like it."

The pale boy released Naruto's pinky, effectively concluding his act. His tongue slid out to run along pale lips, savoring the last little bit of Naruto's french fry laden flavor. In the months that they had been together, he had never wanted the blond as badly as he did in that moment. His tired mind was teetering on the edge of delirium and all he could think about was that very first thrust. The thought was consuming him.

Naruto could see it in his eyes. They had been veiled in lust for the last 20 minutes or so. They were undressing him, preparing him, slipping into him and pounding mercilessly. Naruto's heart was working furiously, dumping blood in his groin while still trying to keep his brain functioning and limbs moving. The blond was so thankful he was wearing one of his baggier pairs of jeans – his massive hard on had no intention of receding any time soon.

Naruto wanted what Sasuke wanted. It was just a matter of who would make the first move – the action that declared with clarity 'I want to fuck'.

* * *

They returned to Sasuke's room and for the first time in their relationship there was an awkward silence. A moment where they were both unsure of how to proceed. Usually one of them would make their intentions clear and the other would willingly oblige – but this was different.

"I'm gonna take a shower," Naruto spoke into the silence.

Sasuke nodded and fell gracefully onto his bed, "I'll be here."

Naruto didn't change in the room as he normally would, lest his predicament be seen. He gathered up his toiletries and headed toward the bathroom. Sasuke sighed as he closed his eyes. The raven-haired boy grimaced as he roughly palmed his erection, attempting to achieve some sort of relief.

* * *

Naruto winced under the icy stream of water, but was relieved to find it was doing the job. He began to run soapy hands across his skin and shivered. The hands moved over his softening cock and scrubbed between his legs. The suds were moved around his hips and applied with nimble fingers between his ass cheeks.

Though Naruto had always considered himself a clean person, he couldn't help but notice how much more thorough he was now compared to say... three months ago. He rinsed off his hands and returned them to his backside. Naruto had learned a few days ago, during his first _deep clean,_ that his soap was for external use only.

Slowly Naruto began to probe; leaning against the door and letting the water cascade between his cheeks as he ran his finger against the hot walls. He didn't spend too much time there, enough to get the job done without causing any kind of arousal. Naruto extracted his finger and smiled too see it come out clean. _Moving on_. He grabbed his shampoo.

_**What has that boy done to you kit?**_

The plastic bottle slipped from Naruto's grip and he momentarily forgot how to breath. _Kyuubi?_

_**So you have accept your position. How does it feel?**_

Naruto looked around the shower stall, half expecting to see a soaking wet and luminous vulpine sitting on the tile. He found no such thing. _What the hell?_

_**I live in your subconscious, I don't have to take a physical form. Now answer me. Are you anxious to be penetrated?**_

Naruto stopped looking around, the expression of shock was replaced by contempt and he snatched the shampoo bottle from the floor. _Auditory hallucinations, that is what this is called. I don't have to answer that._

_**Suit yourself. I know the answer anyway. Acceptance is just made easier by admitting your feelings out loud.**_

The blond scrubbed at his hair, trying to ignore the voice ricocheting around in his head. His teeth chattered as he leaned back and allowed the cold water to wash across his scalp. Kyuubi persisted, asking the same question in different and increasingly vulgar ways.

_**I just want to know if you are ready to have your chute rammed by the Uchiha...**_

Naruto growled as he turned off the water, "Yes! Fucking yes!" he grabbed his towel and began to roughly dry off, "I am ready for him to fuck me! I am excited to have him buried balls deep in me! Are you happy?"

The angry voice echoed against the tiles and Naruto began to shove his things back into his shower bag. All actions ceased when he heard a voice respond to him. This time, Naruto knew it wasn't in his head.

"Naruto?" The voice called hesitantly.

_Of course, why _wouldn't_ Sasuke choose this moment to take a shit?_ Naruto wrapped his towel around his waist and gathered up every bit of courage he possessed before exiting the shower stall. He rounded the corner in the bathroom to see Sasuke at a sink, toothbrush in his hand and eyes wide.

"Hey..." Naruto smiled weakly.

"Um..." Sasuke spit out minty foam, "you okay?"

Naruto sighed and ran his free hand through his damp hair, "I was just having a little conversation with Kyuubi."

Sasuke nodded and leaned over the sink to rinse his mouth with water he had cupped in his hand. He spat again and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. This was not what Sasuke had in mind when he thought about how they would communicate their desires, but fuck if he was going to let the opportunity pass.

A smirk played across his mouth, "I don't know what you were talking about, but I like what I heard."

And just like that the tension was gone. Naruto visibly relaxed, his shoulders sagging some as his lips curled up.

"I'll see you back in the room then," the blond tweaked his eyebrows as he moved past the pale boy.

* * *

Naruto was slicking his fingers when the door quietly opened and closed. He shifted on the bed and smiled at the lack of movement from the doorway. He imagined Sasuke leaning against the door, gathering his nerves. It bolstered Naruto's confidence as he began to stroke at his puckered entrance. He took a breath and pressed in, he was elated to find his hole eagerly swallowed the digit. A few pumps and he introduced a second finger. There was more resistance, but not as much as he had expected. Slowly he began to stroke. His eyes slid shut as his fingers moved steadily in and out of the tight channel.

"Fuck, Naruto."

Hazy azure eyes fluttered open to see Sasuke standing in front of the bed, his gaze firmly trained on the fingers plunging deep inside the tight hole. Naruto smiled at the sight; Sasuke was enraptured, captivated. It was as if nothing else existed but him and his blond.

"Yes, Sasuke," Naruto's voice was sinful, "you are going to fuck Naruto."

Blue eyes closed once more and he bit his lip as the fingers inside him began to scissor. Naruto gripped the sheets with his free hand, he desperately wanted to grab his cock but resisted; he didn't want to cum too soon. The fingers inside him continued to stretch and loosen the channel and Naruto winced under the urgency of his own ministrations.

The mattress shifted and once more cobalt eyes slowly blinked open. This time Sasuke was sitting on the bed, between Naruto's spread legs. He was naked; pure alabaster from head to toe with the exception of a furiously flushed and glistening cock standing tall against his abdomen.

A pale hand cupped Naruto's knee before sliding down his tan thigh. Naruto stopped pumping when fingers started to dance around his taint. Sasuke twisted his wrist and slid his index finger down toward the tan hand. The slender digit bumped against the two enveloped fingers and curled until it slipped in to join them. Naruto gasped, eyes clenching shut as the pale finger inched further inside him.

Teeth sank into a rosy pink bottom lip and Naruto released a small cry as he pushed all three fingers deeper. It was almost as if they were holding hands, their fingers almost interlaced. Sasuke's digit moved with his. In and out. It pressed against the top wall while Naruto's struggled to press against the sides. It was tight... too tight. No, not too tight; it was slowly loosening. Naruto increased the pace. He soldiered on. He needed more than this, he had to get passed the pain.

And he did. The fingering went on for several minutes and the shuddered gasps and painful mewls were slowly shifting. The tears that had been threatening to seep past blond eyelashes dried before they were shed. Sasuke helped to distract the blond with gentle kisses applied to his legs, where ever the pale lips could reach.

Sasuke struck Naruto's prostate and the blond arched his back, chest heaving as he cried out. The guttural moan was free of any pain, it was the sound of pure pleasure. Naruto thought he may cry after all, but these would be tears of joy.

"Please Sasuke," Naruto gave a whispered plea, "I don't want to cum again unless you are inside me."

The raven-haired boy nodded and pulled his finger free, he planted a few more kisses to the bronze thighs before looking up to the blond, "Hold on one second."

Naruto's brow twisted in confusion and frustration. _What the hell could be so important?_

Sasuke retreated behind the wall. Naruto could hear the sound of a zipper and something being fumbled around.

After a moment he heard Sasuke's voice, "Our next scheduled check in is 15 minutes from now. We will be... preoccupied. Please accept this early update."

Another few seconds and Sasuke was back on the bed, between Naruto's bent legs. The pale boy reached up and plucked a spare pillow out from behind the blond's head.

"Lift your hips," everything about Sasuke was soft – his voice, his eyes, his smile.

Naruto shifted and allowed the pillow to be slid underneath him. Sasuke scooted forward and sat back. He didn't make any moves right away, save the gentle stroking of his hands along Naruto's thighs. Obsidian eyes traveled over the body laid out before him; Naruto shivered under the intensity of the gaze. Sasuke's eyes were as paradoxical as ever – ravenous and retrained, lascivious and cautious.

Sasuke licked his lips and took a deep breath. He lifted himself up and allowed the tip of his cock to brush gently against the puckered entrance. His hands gripped the tan legs tighter and he moved with precisely controlled and diminutive thrusts.

"Lube Naruto," even Sasuke's commands were delicate.

The blond handed him the bottle and Sasuke applied it liberally. He took his wet fingers and smeared the left overs around the quivering entrance. It was a shame they had already covered it in lube, the puckered hole looked absolutely delectable.

Sasuke once again pressed the tip to the tight ring of muscle, "I'm going to go slowly but it is going to hurt," he looked up in concern, "try to stay relaxed and remember to breathe." Sasuke spared one more glance down and returned his eyes to Naruto's, "Are you ready?"

Already heeding Sasuke's words, Naruto took several deep breaths before nodding. His eyes swirled with everything from fear to impatience, but there was only one thing Sasuke cared about and it cut through every other emotion – trust. Sasuke and Naruto both gulped as pale hands moved to grab tan hips.

There was little resistance at first, as the tapered head pushed forward; the ring of muscle began to swallow the lubricated tip. Another fraction of an inch and Sasuke found he was having to press harder just to stay in; the tight walls were attempting to push out the intruder. Sasuke was practically salivating as he watched his cock disappearing to the tight hole – excruciatingly slow as it was, the head was almost completely enveloped. The ridge remained just outside the stretched hole.

Naruto had done little more than whimper up to this point and Sasuke tore his gaze away from the erotic sight to look up at the blond. Naruto's lips were parted to allow shallow and ragged breaths to pass. His eyes, though wide and glistening still begged for Sasuke to enter him.

Sasuke looked down once more and gave another push. The widest part of his head sank into the tight heat and Naruto clawed at the sheets. But Sasuke knew the worst was not over. The initial ring had been penetrated but there was one more to go and Naruto wouldn't be able to will the inner muscles to relax as he could with the outer.

Sasuke pressed further until he heard a sob escape from Naruto's throat. With great control he pulled out by only millimeters and waited. When he saw Naruto was once again able to take steady breaths, he pushed back in. Deeper this time and then out just a little. Once more and he could feel that tight inner ring sliding against the crest of his cock.

Naruto struggled to take steady breaths, he fought to keep his cries contained deep within his chest. The pain wasn't like he had expected - it wasn't sharp or burning, not like any other pain he had experienced. He felt as if he was being torn in two, ripped apart at the seams - but not violently so. This pain was slow and torturous. The only comparison he could make in this state was that of a balloon being overfilled - this must be the sensation just before the balloon pops. _What will happen when I pop? _Would it be good or bad? Would he feel relief as the pressure would no longer a source of pain or would he feel mangled, damaged irreparably? Naruto knew Sasuke would never hurt him, never mean to hurt him. The blond took another deep breath and willed himself to relax; to allow himself to be swept away by the sensation of being filled. Painful though it may be, this was the closest to Sasuke he had ever been and he wanted to relish every moment.

The raven-haired boy found controlled thrusts were becoming increasingly difficult as that deliciously tight heat enveloped more and more of Sasuke's hard length. Another thrust and the tip penetrated past the ring, Sasuke could feel the head pop as it plunged further. Not quite halfway in, but the rest would be much easier to accommodate.

Sasuke looked up once more and saw tears glittering in the corners of Naruto's eyes. He reached out and ran a thumb along one of the clenched eyelids. Naruto released a tiny sob and nuzzled into the pale hand.

"I love you Naruto," Sasuke whispered in veneration. He felt the walls around him relax as Naruto took a deep breath. There was a tremor in Sasuke's voice as he spoke again, "love you so... _much_."

As the last word fell from his lips, Sasuke buried himself to the hilt. Naruto did not hold back his pained cry of surprise. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Sasuke's cock pulsed inside the blond and the hot walls continued to constrict around him. When Sasuke finally decided to move it was hands, not hips. His fingers brushed against the inside of Naruto's thigh, ghosted over the tight skin of his sac and traced the veins of his dark and dripping cock.

Sasuke took up the hard length and slowly began to pump. Naruto moaned and threw his head from side to side. There was a fire burning inside him and he wasn't sure if he wanted to fan the flames. When Sasuke's thumb ran across his slit and smeared precum around the tip, Naruto made his decision. He realized he couldn't be ripped apart any further, that the pulsing heat stretching him from the inside was at its apex - it couldn't get any worse. He was done feeling pain, he wanted to feel pleasure.

Naruto rolled his hips and moaned as he felt the hard cock slide within him. The pale boy didn't need to be told twice – he began to move in time. Sasuke allowed Naruto set the pace initially and once the cries passing his lips were mostly pleasure with only lingering pain, Sasuke began to take over.

He took hold of Naruto's hips and gripped firmly as he pushed himself harder into the blond. Sasuke pulled Naruto down as he thrust forward. He repeated this steady rhythm – the push and pull that drug his cock against hot walls – until the greedy, lascivious beast inside him was no longer satiated. Sasuke leaned back and slid his arms under Naruto's thighs, then leaned forward again. Most of his weight was borne by his hands, but some of it was pressed into the back of Naruto's thighs as the his legs hung in the air near Sasuke's shoulders.

Naruto gripped onto Sasuke's forearms tightly as the pale boy plunged ever deeper into him. Sasuke's thrusts were growing increasingly wild but Naruto made little complaint. He had, more or less, become accustomed to the girth in him. It was strangely satisfying, in a way he never could have imagined. He was being filled by Sasuke – Sasuke was inside him, a part of him. That alone made his chest ache and heart feel as if it might explode.

The moment Sasuke's cock found his prostate, Naruto was thrown into oblivion. Nothing else existed. The world turned bright white except for the dark angel that hovered above him – onyx eyes burning into him and pulling him further out of reality. Naruto felt weightless, his whole body tingled with an indescribable sensation. It was like thousands upon thousands of needle pricks – each one delivering an overdose of pure bliss. Naruto was high. So high. He never wanted to come down. He never wanted to leave this white world or the dark angel that administered this sweet medicine.

_Naruto..._

Never want to leave.

_Oh God Naruto..._

Stay here forever.

_Fuck Naruto!_

Yes, fuck forever.

_Cum with me Naruto..._

Anywhere.

_Naruto!_

Reality surged around Naruto as Sasuke's lips crashed against his. Teeth and tongues clashed and moans escaped only to be swallowed by another mouth. It only took a second for him to register what was going on and when he felt Sasuke's hand fisting his aching cock Naruto let go – spilling his seed on his stomach and chest. Sasuke thrust twice more before arching back to scream curses of completion. Naruto could feel the pulsing cock and hot liquid that was coating his insides. It was beyond description.

The pale boy collapsed, muscles refusing to work under these conditions. Sasuke was drowning in euphoria, sinking into its depths. So many years he had waited for this moment; to bask in the afterglow of glorious, untamed and immeasurable sex with the singular love of his life. It was perfect.

He was neither conscious nor asleep – but teetering on the fine line between reality and dreaming. _Could I be dreaming? Could this all be a fantasy?_

"Sasuke..." Naruto's soft voice eventually whispered from beneath him. Sasuke hummed in response, "I... I don't know how to say this..."

"It's okay Naruto, you can tell me anything," Sasuke mumbled in response, lips brushing against Naruto's neck.

"I... um..." Naruto pursed his lips, "I'm... leaking."

* * *

**A/N: Two things: 1) YAY lemon! I have been so excited to post this chapter!. 2) Just in case there are any gun enthusiasts out there: I realize that I sort of made Sasuke a pussy in this chapter with the 9 mm, but I wanted to give Naruto a larger caliber gun without it being something absurd so I gave Sasuke a nice beginners pistol - he is just really bad at handling a firearm. But that is the only thing his bad at handling. XD**


	23. Daddy's Boy

**A/N: Hey there readers! So two things - first off, glad you enjoyed the first of many lemons. Second I apologize for any confusion that may have resulted from the "leaking" line. For anybody that is still confused but didn't mention it in a review - Naruto was indeed leaking Sasuke's hot sticky love juice from his arse. So... moving on, I hope you like this chapter; it has a little bit of everything - humor, sex and conflict resolution. As always, if you would like to keep my plot bunnies fat and happy I would strongly recommend reviewing!**

**Warnings: This chapter contains juicy boyxboy action - please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own Naruto in my dreams... and I do deliciously filthy things to him in my sleep. **

* * *

"You are going to have to start leaving me quarters," Sasuke said dryly from his seat in the laundry room.

Naruto rolled his eyes and smirked down at the pale boy from where is stood, "I think that would technically make you a prostitute."

"Why don't you sit down and we can talk about it?" Sasuke chuckled deviously.

Naruto could still feel the throb of stretched muscle between his legs. Azure eyes slit into a glare, "you know, I would hardly have considered that tender love-making."

"Oh sweetie," Sasuke's smirk was a perfect blend of sexy and terrifying, "you can't even _begin_ to imagine how I am going to wreck you."

Naruto blushed furiously, a red hue spreading from his cheeks down his neck. He wanted to imagine it. _Maybe Sasuke could describe one such scenario... _ The blond opened his mouth to express that very thought when a girl toting two laundry bags entered the room. _Dammit._

This girl was quite different from the last. Her bleach blond hair was brassy and she wore no bra under her white wife beater. Sasuke fought to keep a disgusted sneer off his face. The look of repulsion was replaced with amusement as his eyes focused on her backside.

"Naruto..." Dark eyes flitted up to the blond, "I think I found your Christmas present."

Naruto raised a brow in response then followed Sasuke's gaze back to the coeds ass. Tiny black shorts with bright orange letters stitched across the back spelled out _"Juicy"_. Sasuke cackled as the blond flipped him off.

* * *

Several hours later and 2,436 miles to the east Itachi sat at his desk, squinting at the belated report he received from the Accounts Acquisition department; a fancy name for the head hunters that Itachi was charged with. He tossed the stack of papers onto the glass desk top and leaned back in this chair. The raven-haired man pulled off his rimless glasses and closed his eyes as he rubbed his temples, he winced slightly as his fingers pressed near the bruise adorning his left eye. He hated having to come in on Saturday. Not that he had much of a social life to be concerned with, but it made it harder to enjoy his nightly romps knowing that he would be back in his office within a few hours.

Perhaps, if he didn't have such an all consuming work schedule he would be able to enjoy the company of a woman for more than one night. But Itachi had resigned himself to this fate many years ago – it simply wouldn't be fair to ask somebody to endure this lifestyle. He was rarely home and when he was he spent more time in his office than his apartment. No good woman would put up with that. So Itachi fed his carnal needs with less than good women – well they were good a some things, but Itachi couldn't imagine putting a ring on such a sinful hand.

Itachi groaned as he popped his neck and plucked the report of his desk to pick up where he had left off. His eyes froze on the page as a voice penetrated the silence of his office. It was sharp and cold, lacerating Itachi's train of thought.

"Where did we go wrong?" Fugaku stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets as he stared at his son.

"Father?" Itachi looked up into blank eyes.

The seemingly dead eyes slitted ever so slightly, "Your mother and I... where did we go wrong?"

Itachi dropped his stack of papers, "I'm sorry?"

"Hn," the Uchiha patriarch stepped into the office, "well that is a start."

"Have I done something to offend you?" Itachi asked, confusion overriding hostility.

Fugaku pursed his lips but gave no indication of his emotions, "Maybe I am too conservative for this day and age," the man moved to the window and looked out the sprawling city that extended into the horizon, "but I thought my sons had... values."

Itachi turned in his chair, staring at his father's back, "You find we are lacking?"

"Tell me Itachi," Fugaku turned to face his eldest son, "where is the honor in bedding a whore?" Itachi stiffened, his father never used that kind of language, "or, for that matter, soiling your body with that of another man?"

Itachi's eyes widened, "Sasuke..."

Fugaku almost grimaced as he turned back to the city beneath him, "I may be able to tolerate your frivolous behavior – you are a virile young man after all. But I will not stand by and watch Sasuke ruin his future for such a cheap thing."

Those wide eyes suddenly slit into a glare, "There is nothing cheap about love."

It was in that moment that Itachi understood why he had prompted his mother into calling Sasuke – he had been jealous. Sasuke had achieved the very thing Itachi was incapable of obtaining. He had won the affections of another and was able to revel in a shared love. In all his years, Itachi had never been in love – close perhaps, but never truly.

"Love?" Fugaku scoffed at his son's sentimentality, "Aside from the obvious issues I have with Sasuke's chosen lover, Naruto is hardly the caliber of person an Uchiha ought to be involved with."

Itachi furrowed his brow. He had known his father to be a cold man, but not so calloused, "Tell me then... Father," the word tasted sour in his mouth, "What is acceptable? Should we ignore our hearts and simply find a quiet socialite with wide hips who will be complaisant while she bears us many heirs?"

Fugaku turned back to his son with a chilling smirk, "In a perfect world."

Itachi stood as he began to bristle, this man was not his father. This heartless bastard was more malcontent and cruel than Itachi had ever known his father to be. Perhaps it was the shock of learning his sons' true nature that brought this shell of a man into Itachi's office, but the eldest Uchiha heir was not going to stand for another spiteful remark.

"You do not know the sacrifices we have made in the interest of being good little Uchihas." Itachi very nearly spat, he had never taken such a tone with his father before, "Sasuke is a better man than I – he has the courage to accept his own heart and live his own life. I have let you mold me, twist me into something I despise... and for nothing. No matter how I conceded, I was only ever able to disappoint you."

Fugaku's stony exterior did not portray the shock he felt at hearing his son speak so coldly to him. Itachi never took a stand. There was no precedent for this behavior – his normally amicable son was seething. Maybe he had gone too far. Maybe this was a more sensitive subject than he had led himself to believe. Fugaku thought his sons were merely acting out, rebelling against his authority as children often do. Behaving lewdly for the sake of eliciting a reaction. He hadn't honestly considered the idea that his sons had _reasons_ for their actions.

"What would you have me do?" Fugaku asked with a sincerity that took Itachi back.

"What would I have you do?" Itachi repeated with an incredulous tone, "Accept us. Understand that we have only ever sought your approval and give it to us. Knowing you are proud of us will not make us weaker or less driven. It is all we have ever wanted... it would make us happy."

"And what of your fornicating ways?" The man sneered.

Itachi fought to keep his cold mask in place. His desire to arch an eyebrow and smirk was almost visceral. A small amount of defiance seeped out to light Itachi's eyes, "I will continue to fuck my way through this emptiness and Sasuke will continue to take Naruto to his bed. What we do between the sheets does not change the men we are."

"Hn." Fugaku felt his lip twitch as he watched the world beneath him slowly wake up.

* * *

Sasuke loved the sound of Naruto's panting moans as he moved within the blond. He hovered over the tanned body and steadily rocked his hips. It had been nearly 12 hours since he was last here, in this very position – it felt like a lifetime ago.

As Sasuke was pulled deeper into ecstasy his vision began to shift, became fuzzy then overly sharp. He closed his eyes as he thrust vigorously, opening them again as he heard Naruto begin to chant his name.

Pale hips continued to roll of their own accord as Sasuke stared wide eyed at the body beneath him. Naruto was bathed in an ethereal red glow. No, that wasn't quite right – the glow was emanating from his whole body. The bloom waxed and waned with each shuddered breath.

"Naruto?" Sasuke panted. Blue eyes opened to meet with onyx and the aura brightened. The pale boy smiled at the look of utter contentment on Naruto's face. Sasuke refocused his attention on his thrusts and groaned as he spoke, "God... I fucking love you." The raven-haired boy shifted and plunged deeper, with a smirk he added, "I love fucking you."

Naruto's back arched and chest heaved as his smile was lost to a gaping, soundless cry. The radiant glow grew and sparked, sending shards of light into the thick air. Sasuke watched as a spark drifted down and disappeared into his forearm. A shock traveled through the straining muscle, warming the area.

It made no sense. Not a single damn bit. And Sasuke couldn't care less. He buried himself deeper into the tight heat and smiled as more sparks showered around him. Sasuke had always thought Naruto was beautiful, he had been gorgeous last night as he fought back his tears – but today he was stunning.

Sasuke leaned down, bringing his lips to ghost over Naruto's collarbone – bathing his face in the radiant glow. He could see Naruto's heartbeat in the bloom – it pulsed, warming Sasuke's skin. The pale boy pulled back and watched as the bright glow dissipated from the spot where they had touched. He slipped out his tongue and ran the muscle along Naruto's neck. Where normally he would have seen a glistening trail of saliva there was a deepening of the luminescence – appearing brighter and more solid. Sasuke lapped at the skin again, mesmerized by the shifting translucent glow.

"Sasuke...nghh," Naruto pleaded as he rocked against the body above.

Sasuke's eyes widened as the whole aura grew darker, crimson tendrils reaching out to wrap around his arms. There was a hot tingle coursing through the pale body and he released a guttural moan as his thrusts picked up speed. Naruto bucked up, attempting to bury the hard length deeper inside him. His moans were feverish, growing louder and more desperate as he sought release.

Sasuke pounded harder, filling the room with the sound of wet thrusts and the slap of skin against skin. The radiant light around Naruto grew, sparked and crackled as the boy began to cry out, curse and beg. Sasuke shifted his weight to one arm and brought his free hand to Naruto's neglected cock. He stroked the aching length, his breath catching in his throat at the sight it produced.

Naruto's head thrown back as he screamed would have been beautiful by itself; but the image beneath the raven-haired boy was extraordinary. The writhing body was vibrant, the pulsing glow almost blinding. Watching Naruto cum was like staring into a solar eclipse. Tendrils flared and arched, spilling light across the sheets as Naruto's fingers dug into the mattress. Sasuke could see sparks pour out of Naruto's mouth as the blond screamed out his lover's name.

The strong clench around his cock pulled Sasuke over the edge, his thrusts slowed and deepened as he pushed his spilled seed further into the tight channel. Naruto's violent eruption calmed, the glow returning to a soft bloom. Sasuke collapsed onto the blond, he wanted nothing more than to fall into sweet unconsciousness surrounded by that gentle glow.

But Naruto wouldn't have it. He pulled himself away slowly, feeling as Sasuke's length left him. He rolled the pale boy over and wrapped his waist with the towel they had laid down earlier – they had finally learned their lesson.

* * *

"We are at about 50 hours without sleep and I am beginning to see things," Sasuke said into his camera after Naruto left for the bathroom. The blond had made his check in short and sweet, but Sasuke felt it necessary to document his experience. "Earlier when I was... looking... at Naruto he appeared to glow bright red. I believe I could also see sound – words and vibrations. It didn't last too long, maybe 15 minutes or so. Everything is back to normal now."

Sasuke sighed as he turned off his camera and swung around in his chair. The pull of sleep was greater now than it had ever been. They really needed to stop going at it, each encounter left him exponentially more tired; it was as draining emotionally as it was physically. It was with a strong determination that Sasuke pushed himself up, out of his chair and exited the room.

Maybe food would help to restore some of his energy, something high in carbs. He peeked into the bathroom, water was still running in a shower stall.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out over the stream, there was an obscured shout in reply, "I'm hungry. Meet me down in the commons."

Another unidentifiable shout confirmed Sasuke's instructions and he continued down the hall with considerably less grace than normal. The pale boy leaned against the wall as the traversed the stairwell. Taking the steps slowly, unsure if his brain would be able to keep up with his feet, he descended. Reaching the ground floor, Sasuke straightened himself out before heading into the hall.

The common hall was quiet for a Saturday, Sasuke wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Would the normal ruckus aid in keeping him awake or simply irritate him more? As he neared the other end of the hall, and the entrance to the commons room, he noticed a figure standing at the exit.

Sasuke's processing power had decreased significantly, it wasn't until he was only a few yards away that Sasuke realized he recognized the figure. At first it appeared dark and menacing, and as Sasuke neared he realized it was a man. A tall man, with arms crossed over his chest and a stern expression on his face. Sasuke stopped, hands shoved in his pockets as he contemplated this man. This familiar man. Sasuke's eyes widened slowly and he realized his first description had been more correct; it was a dark and menacing figure – it was his father.

Sasuke stared blankly at the man in the doorway. _Why is he here?_ Like so many other things that had occurred in the last few hours, it didn't make any sense. Sasuke was really getting tired of trying to understand this demented reality he found himself in. Surely there was a reason behind this, but Sasuke was too irritated to attempt to flush it out.

He pursed his lips and casually raised an eyebrow, "So what are you supposed to be? A projection of my guilty subconscious?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I won't pretend to be something I am not and I will not apologize for how I feel. So back the fuck off."

The man's eyes widened ever so slightly before slitting into a cold glare, "You will not address me so disrespectfully."

"Hn," Sasuke smirked, "you even sound like him." The pale boy moved forward, he pulled his hands out of his pockets as he sauntered toward the man, "I accepted, many years ago, that I was never going to be good enough for you. But I still loved you," he pointed at the man as he spoke, "and I would hope that you can at least accept who I am... even if you cannot love me."

Sasuke tsked, gaze flitting away briefly. He was being too soft, Sasuke's eyes were black ice as they returned to his father, "You know what? I don't need you to, because I have Naruto and I know that he accepts me... _he_ loves me. I don't need your love and I certainly don't need your hate."

Sasuke's index finger stabbed into the man's chest, pressed into the lapel of his blazer and Sasuke looked at it with confusion. It seemed so real.

"Fugaku?" A voice called from behind Sasuke.

Cold, dark eyes widened as Sasuke's face paled to the color of freshly fallen snow. He gasped once and held the breath as he stared into the eyes of his father. He real, flesh and blood father. There was only shock on his face as Sasuke stumbled back. He tripped over his own foot but strong hands reached out from behind to catch him before he fell.

Naruto held onto Sasuke's shoulders, pressed his chest into the pale boy's back and looked at Fugaku with conviction. Naruto knew Sasuke's father was a hard-ass and an elitist, but he also knew that Fugaku respected confidence. It didn't matter if he agreed with you or not – if you held to your beliefs, he would at least respect you. He hated insecurity and waffling; luckily for the two boys standing in front of the Uchiha patriarch, they had confidence in spades. There were many things in life they were uncertain of – but their feelings for each other were not among them. Not now, and especially not for Sasuke.

Fugaku did little to acknowledge Naruto save a brief moment of eye contact. He trained his dark eyes on his son, appearing to size him up. That was twice now in less 8 hours that one of his sons had talked back to him. Fugaku had never quarreled with his sons – they knew better. Or at least he thought they did. Suddenly they had become defiant – disregarding their father's wishes and acting according to their own will.

Honestly, it was about time. No true Uchiha could live under the shadow of another – including their own parents. If only it had been over something less... private. Why couldn't Fugaku's sons defy his business practices, run off to work for an NGO or take a sabbatical in a villa in Italy – like a normal Uchiha. Why did they chose to exercise their backbones under the covers. It was quite irritating.

"Sasuke," Fugaku spoke with a stern, though not entirely frigid tone, "it is because I care that I tell you I believe you are squandering your potential." Sasuke stiffened and opened his mouth to speak but Fugaku held out a hand, effectively silencing the raven-haired boy, "As your father I will always desire more from you. Do not mistake this for disapproval or disappointment."

Sasuke's frame relaxed, his brow knotted slightly, "Father?"

The man blinked once, he took a contemplative breath before speaking again, "I may not agree with the path you have chosen, but I will not condemn you for it either. You are my son, the bond of our blood is stronger than our differences."

Naruto could feel Sasuke's harsh breaths, he could hear as the pale boy swallowed hard. _That's it? That is what passes for an Uchiha apology?_ It didn't mean much to Naruto, there was no warmth – hardly even a resolution. It was simply a statement of facts – indelible truths that were neither accepted or rejected, simply acknowledged. Is that the nature of unconditional love?

Sasuke found his strength, he lifted himself off of Naruto and squared his shoulders as he stood nearly eye to eye with his father. The same hard expression was worn by both Uchihas as they engaged in an unspoken exchange.

"Thank you," Sasuke bowed his head slightly but did not break his gaze.

Fugaku nodded in response.

Naruto wanted to explode. _How could that be it?_ They didn't fight, they hardly even spoke. Was this what every Uchiha disagreement was like? Where was the passion? These were people of conviction – arrogant and prideful and strong willed. He knew they were capable of more – he'd seen it when Sasuke punched Itachi. Uchihas were capable of indignant outbursts and fiery exchanges using colorful language. Sasuke and his father were yet another Uchiha dynamic that Naruto would likely never understand.

"This went faster than I anticipated," Fugaku moved his hands to his pockets, "perhaps you can accompany me back to the airport. We could discuss any potential use for you within the company."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded, "let me get my things."

Sasuke turned on his heels and found himself nose to nose with Naruto. Wide azure eyes took in the pale boy – the cool onyx orbs and tiny smirk playing across pale pink lips. Sasuke looked as if he had won a battle. The confidence he exuded caused the blond to take a step back. Naruto began to blush as the smirk widened. _Fuck, Sasuke is sexy._ And he knew it as he took another step and tweaked his brow. Naruto stumbled to take another step back and finally moved out of Sasuke's path.

Naruto watched Sasuke's receding back. The pale boy had a swagger to him as he moved down the hall and Naruto didn't even notice as he bit his lip while he watched his boyfriend walk away. Fugaku gruffly cleared his throat and Naruto nearly choked as he gasped. He broke the lecherous gaze and turned back to look at the stern man.

Fugaku stared with dead eyes at the blond boy. Though he knew it wasn't Naruto's _fault_, the man desperately wanted to blame him. _This blond haired, blue eyed succubus tainted my son._ No, he knew that wasn't true. Uchihas couldn't be tainted – that would imply an unwillingness and Uchihas never did anything they didn't want to do. It wasn't in their nature. If Sasuke was with this boy it was because he wanted to be. Sasuke wanted Naruto – and Uchihas got what they wanted. Naruto could have sworn he heard Fugaku growl.

"I want to make one thing clear," the man spoke coldly to the blond.

_Oh good God._

"My sons have never challenged me before. When an Uchiha decides to make a stand, it is serious. We do not act impulsively."

_Tell me about it._

"My son must care about you more than you can even begin to understand."

_I think I am beginning to understand..._

"Do not underestimate the strength of his will, his passion or his loyalty."

_Never_.

"We do not love easily, but when we do it is with every fiber of our being."

_Now that I believe._

The man's expression softened some, a small smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth, "Good luck Naruto."

_Well now, that is just disconcerting._

* * *

"Kiba!" Naruto shouted as he entered his room.

There was no movement but the door was unlocked, somebody had to be in. Naruto rounded the corner to find his roommate laying on his bed. The music coming from his headphones was so loud Naruto recognized the song from five feet away. He kicked the bed and grinned as Kiba lazily opened one eye.

"Hey Naruto!" Kiba nearly shouted as he grinned toothily, "Wow, you look like shit."

Naruto glared down at the brunet and moved to the stereo, jabbing the power button with more force than necessary. Kiba pulled off his headphones and sat up.

"How have things been going with Neji?" Naruto sat down on his bed, looking around the room for any obvious changes.

Kiba shrugged, "He's alright I guess," the brunet laughed, "I think he is banging every chick in his study group. I swear to Christ, that kid has constantly got his nose in a book and dick in a pussy... often simultaneously."

"Really?" Naruto's tone was equal parts amused and surprised.

"I know, I never would have thought it... but I'm telling you – he has got it down to an art. He's like a fucking zen master, balancing school and tail without breaking a sweat," Kiba wiped his hand down his face and chuckled, "Oh my God... last night, I got back and he had this girl–"

Naruto immediately shot off his mattress, "Son of a bitch!" The blond's horrified expression was priceless, "He got his fuck on in my bed?" Kiba grinned sheepishly in response and Naruto's eyes slitted, "Oh... it is fucking on."

Kiba barked a laugh, "Speaking of which... where's the boyfriend? Tired of playing house already?"

"Sasuke is escorting his father back to the airport," Naruto said with a grimace.

"Oh..."

"Yeah. Let's get some lunch... I'll tell you all about it."

* * *

"So," Kiba pursed his lips before continuing, "just to summarize, in the last 48 hours: you confessed your love, Sasuke punched his brother, you have been in TSA custody and consequently escorted home by police, Sasuke came out to his parents, you handled deadly weapons, Sasuke popped your ass cherry and now he is back at the airport with his emotionally crippled father... does that about cover it?"

Naruto looked up as he ran through Kiba's list, "More or less. Oh, did I mention my auditory hallucination?" Kiba shook his head and Naruto chuckled nervously, "Yeah, I had an uninvited guest in my head during my shower yesterday. Come to think of it, that is sort of how we got to the whole uh... cherry poppin'."

"Are you saying the voices in your head made you do it?" Kiba asked as he put his straw between his lips.

"Maybe the first time," Naruto smirked, "but not the second."

Kiba huffed a laugh, "Naruto... you little slut. I'm so proud."

The conversation paused for a moment as Naruto phone clattered violently on the table. He pulled his camera out his backpack and flicked it on unceremoniously. "Still here," he yawned into the lens. Turning his attention back to his roommate, the blond smiled, "You know what the best part is?" Naruto waggled his eyebrows, "we still have like 20 hours left."


	24. Do Not Fold

**A/N: FFN really did not want me to post this chapter. It took my like 8 tries but it finally let me upload the chapter. Big thanks to all my loyal reviewers! I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. With this chapter we shall see the completion of the sleep deprivation experiment. It gets a little gooey for a second, but I think I have balanced it well between humor and sex. So please... enjoy!**

**Warnings: I wouldn't make you go a chapter without some hot boyxboy action, not after it has taken so long to get here. I got your horny, yaoi loving back. **

**Disclaimer: I have been dreaming about Naruto again... I think I have a problem. But even in my dreams, I don't own.**

* * *

Sasuke ran his finger down the crease, frowned and unfolded the paper. Attempting the same fold for the third time he growled, "This is fucking stupid."

He looked up to Naruto, whose tongue was poking out between pink lips as he focused on finishing his second crane. Sapphire eyes flitted up, then back to his tiny paper bird, then up again.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked at the pale boy.

"I said this is really fucking stupid," Sasuke looked down to his butchered crane.

Naruto's gaze fell to the miserable excuse of origami and he pursed his lips, "I thought it would be a good exercise to keep us focused. Besides," he picked up a piece of shiny blue paper and began a third crane, "I figured you would naturally be good at it."

Sasuke sat back and crossed his arms, "Now that is just racist."

Naruto looked up from his folding, "What?" he furrowed his brow, "...No... No, I mean you are so anal–" Sasuke snorted and Naruto stammered, "dammit Sasuke. You are detail oriented... you bastard. I thought origami would be easy."

"Well clearly my proficiencies do not extend to folding little animals out of paper," the raven-haired boy huffed and flicked his decrepit bird off the table.

"Fine," Naruto finished his crane and looked up, "you got any better ideas?"

* * *

_I am a genius. _Sasuke smiled to himself as he watched Naruto climb out of the pool. The blond moved in slow motion – whether that was a result of Sasuke's exhaustion or the lust sparking deep in his core, he would never know. Onyx eyes devoured the sight as Naruto hoisted himself up the ladder and out of the deep end. Streams of water followed the lines of straining muscle, leaving the flawless tan skin to glisten under the fluorescent lights. Naruto shook his head, sending a spray of sparkling droplets flying around his body and leaving his hair a perfect crown of golden spikes.

Sasuke had to swallow to keep from drooling as Naruto stood next to the ladder. His swim trunks, which already hung precariously on his hips, were sagging low under the weight of water. Sasuke's eyes were trained on the hollow formed between Naruto's slightly protruding hip and his taut lower abdomen. That little valley begged to be licked and nibbled. Sasuke could practically taste the salty patch of skin.

He was completely lost as he stood chest deep on the incline between the shallow and deep ends of the pool. His eyes followed the delicious tan skin as Naruto moved around the pool and over to the diving board. Though the blond never left his sight, Sasuke still didn't register what was happening until Naruto was mid air, legs tucked tightly to his chest. The epic cannonball sent tall, cresting waves hurling through the water. The splash hit Sasuke, drenching his dry hair and causing him to sputter and cough as he expelled the heavily chlorinated water.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes with one hand and with the other splashed feebly at the blond as he approached. Naruto cut smoothly through the water and circled the raven-haired boy. He wrapped his arms around the pale body and chuckled as he pressed into Sasuke's back.

"You're an asshole," Sasuke growled as he looked sideways at the blond.

Naruto smirked, wrapped his legs around Sasuke's middle and purred, "You like my asshole."

Sasuke failed to restrain his smile, _no arguing that point_.

The next few hours were spent as if they were 10 years younger; they tied in lap races and competed to out splash one another. Naruto found he could hold his breath for nearly 15 seconds longer than Sasuke – a fact that only served to please the dark-haired boy with its scandalous implications.

The only sound in the space was the echo of their splash fight until the smack of flip flops joined the din. A rec center attendant moved to the side of pool, just beyond the reach of the water. Naruto dunked Sasuke under the water and as he held his flailing boyfriend beneath the waves he noticed the presence of another. He released the pale boy, who immediately shot up and playfully tackled the blond.

The uniformed man in flip flops harshly cleared his throat to garner the pale boy's attention. It wasn't that he disliked _the gays;_ he just didn't want to be subjected to watching them get handsy with each other in his pool.

"Rec center closes at midnight," he stated blandly, "you have 15 minutes."

He turned stiffly and exited without another word. Sasuke rolled his eyes and slapped his hand across the water – sending a spray flying at the man's retreating back. He turned back to Naruto and furrowed his brow at the frown that marred the blond's face.

"What's his problem?" Naruto mumbled as the moved toward the edge of the pool.

Sasuke sighed, it was bound to happen eventually – not every body was as accepting as Naruto's friends and family. And that man wasn't even bad; sure he could have tried a little harder to hide his contempt, but that was nothing really. The saving grace was likely that he was at work and the university has a zero tolerance policy on bigotry.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke replied as he followed Naruto up the steps and out of the pool.

Naruto shivered as he reached for his towel, "I just don't get," he wrapped himself tightly in the terry cloth, "I mean... who are we hurting?"

Sasuke quickly ruffled his hair under his towel before securing it around his waist, "American core values?" Sasuke chuckled at the glare he received and waived his hand dismissively as he walked towards the locker room, "Just let it go. People are going to give us dirty looks and call us fags. You can't let it get to you."

Naruto stared perplexed at Sasuke's back as he followed the pale boy, "How can you just brush it off?"

Sasuke tossed his towel on a bench and moved to the shower. He turned to the blond as he pressed the button to release a spray of warm water, "Because I don't define myself in those terms."

Naruto didn't move to rinse himself off, he continued to watch Sasuke with dubious eyes, "But you are... a fag."

The spray slowed to a trickle and Sasuke shook out his midnight locks. He studied Naruto for a moment and was hit with an odd deja vu. It was like he was arguing with himself from two or three years ago. Luckily, he had learned a few things in the elapsed time.

"Yes, Naruto. I _am_ gay. But that is not all that I am," Sasuke moved closer, "Just like you are not _only_ a blond," he reached out to card his fingers through Naruto's hair, "Our sexuality does not define us. The only difference between me and a straight guy is the hole I shove my dick in. Now, some people choose to make a big deal out of that – because they are scared or confused... because they are weaker than me. Tell me Naruto, why should I be bothered by somebody that is weaker than me?"

Sasuke moved his other hand to Naruto's waist as he spoke. His low voice and gentle touches amplified the intimacy of the moment. This was an important juncture for Naruto, the moment where he embraced this new aspect of his being.

"That is easy for you to say. You are the one doing all the shoving." Naruto looked away, "What about me?"

Sasuke gripped Naruto's chin and turned his face, bringing those unsure azure eyes to his warm obsidian orbs. He smiled softly, "Naruto... only a very strong man could take the things I do to you."

Naruto was deciding whether or glare or laugh when Sasuke's lips crashed against his. It wasn't so much passionate as it was poignant. The kiss spoke of resolve and determination; it was a testament to Sasuke's conviction. His tongue lashed out against Naruto's, further illustrating his sincerity. Naruto absorbed the strength of the embrace and wrapped his arms firmly around the pale body.

Sasuke pulled back and smiled as Naruto nipped at his lips. The raven-haired boy pressed their foreheads together, "Rinse off and get dressed, we can continue this back in my room."

* * *

Somehow they ended up in the commons room... though neither of them could recall how they got there. The heated exchange in the shower was a distant memory, more like a dream. Now they sat in front of the television and watched washed up celebrities peddle their wares.

"Dude, I totally need that," Naruto mused aloud as he watched the third infomercial of the night.

"It's a blender..." Sasuke yawned in reply, "you don't even have a kitchen."

"But...but..." Naruto's head fell to the side and he grinned at the dark-haired boy, "it can blend bricks Sasuke. Bricks!"

Obsidian eyes rolled and turned back to the TV as the next infomercial started up. A devious smirk tugged at his lips as the television announced _"the following paid advertisement is brought to you by ColoCleanse__"_.

"Now this is something you might–" Sasuke was interrupted by a swift punch to his arm.

* * *

By 6:00 am the bad infomercials were replaced by exponentially worse televangelists. They trudged up the stairs, stopping on the second floor landing to check in. Funny how 70 hours ago walking while handling electronic devices was such a simple task; now they struggled to stand up straight as they fumbled the cameras.

Eventually they made it to Sasuke's room – not before unsuccessfully attempting to open the wrong door for nearly five minutes. _Two hours – just two more hours_, was the shared thought as the boys sat on Sasuke's bed and stared at each other.

Naruto opened his mouth as if to speak and Sasuke perked up, eyes brightening. Naruto's brow knotted, "Forgot what I was gonna say."

Sasuke huffed and looked out the window. The sun was just cresting the horizon, turning the sky pink through the haze of low laying clouds. The world outside seemed so peaceful; there was no stopping the smile that took hold of his lips.

"Naruto," he didn't move his eyes from the slowly rising sun, "have you seen a lot of sunrises?"

"Hmm?" Naruto followed Sasuke's gaze out the window, "No I guess not... not before Friday."

The pale boy suddenly jumped to his feet and gathered up their jackets, "Come on."

Naruto followed as Sasuke quickly fled the room and rushed down the hall. He hurried up the stairs and found his prayers answered as the door to the roof opened. Sasuke held the door for the blond and positioned a piece of wood to keep the entrance open. A coat was offered to the shivering blond as Sasuke pushed his arms into the sleeves of his own leather jacket.

Sasuke took Naruto's hand and led him to the East wall. The sun had just begun to peak above the skyline, turning the distant trees and buildings into silhouettes. The pale boy positioned himself behind Naruto and wrapped his arms around the blond. Naruto held their hands, with fingers interlaced, tightly to his chest. Sasuke deeply inhaled the chlorine tinted scent of his lover and watched the dawn. It wasn't just the dawn of another day; it was the dawn of a new chapter in his life.

The tome of Sasuke Uchiha's life had thus far been dribble – the uninspired tale of a petulant little boy. The introduction of Naruto Uzumaki gave the story promise; perhaps with this exuberant character things would get interesting. Now, as they watched the sun paint the sky in pastels it seemed a certainty that the unwritten pages would be filled with events worth chronicling.

"We take it for granted..." Sasuke paused as he mused aloud, "the Sun. We go every day with the assumption that it will always be there – keeping us warm, keeping us alive. We don't take the time to appreciate it... let it know how grateful we are."

"Sasuke...?" Naruto turned to look at the raven-haired boy, and found his dark eyes were distant.

Slowly Sasuke's lips twitched up into a smile and he turned his midnight gaze to the blond in his arms. He turned Naruto until they were standing chest to chest, Naruto's shoulders held firmly in Sasuke's hands. The light of the rising sun bathed the blond in a golden glow, causing the illusion of a halo. Sasuke felt a warmth radiating from his core and the slightest shudder traveled through him.

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed, "you are my own sun. I was selfish to never tell you how much I love you. But Naruto..."

Sasuke was unable to find the words, but his mouth was still able to make his feelings known. He pulled Naruto into him and pressed his lips against the rosy pink mouth. It was tender at first as both boys moved in tandem, capturing and releasing lips and sliding tongues gently against one another. But, as it was a display of Sasuke's emotions, the kiss quickly grew heated. Their mouths collided with increasing urgency and Sasuke's grip on Naruto's shoulders squeezed tighter and tighter until the last fiber of control was lost to the embrace.

Sasuke gathered the blond up in this arms, hugging him as close as possible. He released Naruto's lips and slid his mouth down the line of jaw and ducked his head under to attack the column of Naruto's neck. He lapped at flesh before biting in and sucking the skin into his mouth. Naruto cried out and tilted his head to allow better access. The blond clutched at Sasuke's hair, tugging fiercely as the mouth continued to devour him. The punishment finally ceased and Sasuke smirked as he eyed his handiwork. Tiny purple crescents circled the bruise that had formed on the tan skin.

He gently slid his tongue against the mark, "My own."

* * *

They were too tired for sex. It was a sad truth. They had returned to Sasuke's room with the full intention of one last fuck before passing out... but it just wasn't happening. They consoled themselves by snuggling their naked bodies together under the covers. The occasional pull of hair or tweak of a nipple kept them conscious as they awaited the final alarm.

The trill of Sasuke's phone was a blessed sound, he groped at the device until it finally shut off. Slowly he pulled himself from the arms of his lover and slid out from under the blanket. Naruto watched with satisfaction as Sasuke's naked form was revealed. His eyes wandered over the alabaster skin, settling on his ass as the pale boy bent over to pick up their cameras. Sasuke smirked as he turned to find Naruto's lecherous gaze focused on him. He sauntered back to the bed and handed a camera to the blond.

Yawning Naruto turned the device on and smiled widely into it, "72 hours bitch!"

Naruto switched it back off and tossed the device to the foot of the bed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned his own camera on, "It has been an... eventful... three days. But now it is time to sleep."

Sasuke flipped the camera off and set in on the nightstand. He yawned widely and flopped into the bed next to the blond.

Pulling the covers up he turned to Naruto, "Hey Naru..." But he was already asleep. Sasuke smiled and kissed the blond before snuggling into the warm body.

* * *

A familiar tune filled the dark room, rousing Naruto from his sleep. The blond leaned over the edge of the bed and fumbled around until locating his pants; he shook them violently until his phone fell to the floor. Naruto's eyes were mere slits as he examined at the illuminated screen. He scooted up on the mattress and leaned against the wall as he accepted the call.

"Hey Shika," he answered through a yawn.

Sasuke shifted next to the blond, slowly waking from a deep sleep; he wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist and nuzzled into a tan hip.

"Hey Naruto, I hadn't heard from you in a while... thought I would give you a call," Shikamaru's voice was slightly less bored than normal.

Naruto's stretch was interrupted by a shudder as fingers began to wander along the inside of his thigh. He forced his voice to remain nonchalant, "Things are going well, thanks. How are you? Isn't it almost midnight there? Don't you have class in the morning?"

Naruto immediately regretted asking so many questions. As Shikamaru started to answer, Sasuke's tongue began to follow the same path his fingers had taken – slowly trailing inside Naruto's thigh and further between his legs. Despite the monotone voice that droned on from his phone, competing for attention, Naruto spread his legs and gave the roving tongue more access.

"Uh huh... yeah..." Naruto replied mechanically as Sasuke began to employ his lips in exploration, "that's cool Shika..."

Naruto instinctively shut his eyes as pale lips descended on his hard cock – the last thing he needed was to shoot off prematurely with Shikamaru on the phone. Sasuke continued to bob, playfully swirling his tongue, while the blond failed at conversation.

"So whatever happened to that friend of yours?" Shikamaru asked after concluding an anecdote about his anatomy class.

"H-huh?" Naruto breathed.

Shikamaru's eye roll was clear in his tone, "That friend with the girl trouble."

"Oh..." it was one part moan and one part realization, "Yeah he got that all worked out."

Naruto shuddered once more when slender fingers began to rub and tug at his sac. There was something about the way Sasuke touched him – it was like nobody else. Naruto had considered the fact that Sasuke simply had more experience with male genitalia than any _girl_ he had ever dated; whether that was simply the fact that he possessed such parts his whole life or the fact that he had been intimate with guys before remained unanswered. Regardless, he knew how and when and where to touch the blond to elicit immeasurable pleasure.

"So what was it?" Shikamaru queried further.

Naruto huffed, "What do you think?"

There was a pause on the line as Shikamaru considered his answer. Sasuke, however, did not pause. He continued to slide his lips up and and down Naruto's shaft. When the tip of his cock grazed the back of Sasuke's throat, Naruto arched off the wall and gaped soundlessly.

"So how is Sasuke treating you?" Shikamaru finally answered.

Naruto settled back against the wall and brought his free hand to tangle in inky black locks, "Fantastically."

There was something that sounded like a muffled laugh before Shikamaru responded, "So what happened?"

Sasuke's light suction began to increase and Naruto struggled to form a coherent thought, "It's a long story..."

"I have time," Shikamaru answered blandly.

Naruto's cock once again found itself nestled against the back of Sasuke's throat; the warm, wet walls closing around him as Sasuke swallowed.

"I don't," Naruto bit out, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

The call was disconnected just as the phone slid from Naruto's hand; all parties would be thankful for this as Naruto cried out his completion. Sasuke suckled the pulsing cock – savoring every last bitter, salty drop. The raven-haired boy finally separated himself from Naruto's dick and looked up at the blond; his sinful expression was perfectly accented by the way he licked his lips.

Naruto smiled down at the pale boy, "Fucking cock gobbler."

Sasuke shrugged slightly, "I've been called worse."

* * *

Three saliva slicked fingers were pistoning forcefully in and out of Naruto as the phone on the nightstand chirped. Sasuke, currently positioned behind the blond, was unable to reach for the phone as his hands were otherwise engaged; Naruto did not lift his face from where it was buried in the mattress as he groped blindly. He pulled the device to him as he silenced it. Cracking one eye opened he attempted to focus on the screen; he was barely able to make out the message before the phone faded to black.

"Neji..." Naruto groaned through panting breaths.

Sasuke removed his fingers much to Naruto's chagrin. The blond began his complaint but was teasingly interrupted by the pale boy, "I will not tolerate the use of another man's name in my bed."

Naruto groaned, the absence of Sasuke touch was painful, "Text was from... him... 10 minute warning." The blond looked back with pleading eyes and wiggled his ass, "Please Sasuke."

"Please... what?" Sasuke sat back and admired Naruto's quivering pucker.

Naruto's voice was weak, "Please... fuck me."

Sasuke tilted his head slightly, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

Azure eyes slitted and Naruto growled, "I said fuck me!"

Pale lips quirked into a devious smirk. It would be a pinch, but he felt confident it could be done. Sasuke quickly lubed his cock and lifted himself to his knees. Naruto's entrance beckoned for him, it twitched in anticipation. He rubbed the hard length along Naruto's crack before pulling back and prodding the puckered hole with the tip. The blond bucked back, attempting to impale himself on the shaft. Sasuke smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm.

The first two times Sasuke had been gentle, he had gone slowly. This round did not afford such luxuries. Pale hands gripped Naruto's hips and the blond fisted the sheets as he prepared for a rough entrance. Sasuke thrust forward, sliding in about half way; he pulled out a couple inches and gave Naruto a moment to catch his breath before burying himself to the hilt. Sasuke cursed and groaned, the sensation of tight heat squeezing him left the pale boy feeling light headed. Naruto had whimpered with the first thrust and cried out with the second. Stretched though he may have been, three fingers were nothing compared to Sasuke's girth.

But as Naruto slowly relaxed and Sasuke began to roll his hips, the blond found the pain receding. It wasn't long before Naruto was clawing at the sheets and screaming into Sasuke's pillow. This was an entirely different experience from their previous sessions and through his moans Naruto came to a realization, _so this is what it is like to be fucked. _As powerful as Sasuke had been before, his actions had still been disciplined; now, as the pale boy slammed his body against Naruto's, there was little restraint.

The raw passion added a whole new dimension to sex with Sasuke. It was like a sixth sense; Naruto could feel Sasuke's cock moving in and out of him, he could hear the pale boy's panting breaths and see the pleasure in those onyx eyes, there was a distinct smell to their sex – a combination of sweat and semen – that seemed concentrated enough to taste. And then there was something else; it was beyond Naruto's comprehension and yet he knew it was there.

It was like a thick electricity that bound their bodies together and with each thrust that brought them closer to climax, it became denser. And that is when it became hard to breath, when it no longer felt like their lungs were taking in oxygen – they were too saturated by this thick, electric passion. But when they moaned or screamed, they were allowed a few productive breaths.

And so they continued to rock against each other; pushing and pulling, bucking and thrusting. All the while grunting and groaning, moaning and screaming. And when they finally came it was as if the air sizzled and crackled, the thickness vaporized by the force of their shared orgasm. Bits of the passion lingered on, the air never completely cleared; that spark stayed persevered between the two of them.

Sasuke fell back, sliding unceremoniously out of Naruto. His chest heaved in satisfied breaths and he smiled as he watched white streams trickle out of the red, puckered hole. Naruto didn't move; his body was paralyzed by his afterglow. As Sasuke ran a tissue up his thighs and around his entrance Naruto's grip on the mattress relaxed. Finally he collapsed on the bed.

Sasuke looked to his clock, "Two minutes left."

Clothes were gathered off the floor and pulled on hastily. Naruto was struggling to keep his balance while he pulled on his last sock. Hopping on one foot he fell back onto Neji's bed. He stopped all efforts to dress and a devious grin tugged at his lips.

"Did I tell you that Neji had sex on my bed?" Naruto turned his mischievous azure eyes to Sasuke.

"Nope," Sasuke replied indifferently. He arched an eyebrow as Naruto threw himself back and began to roll and squirm, "What the hell are you doing?"

The blond hopped off the now rumpled bedding and smiled victoriously, "We may not have fucked on his bed... but he doesn't need to know that."

Sasuke rolled his eyes but allowed a small smile. Naruto finished tying his shoes and grabbed his bags; after three days it felt odd to be leaving, the blond felt a sadness clutch at his chest. Sasuke moved to wrap his arms around the blond, he too felt the tug of disappointment.

He offered Naruto a chaste kiss and pulled back, "See you tomorrow."

Naruto forced a smile to replace his pout, "Yeah." He turned to leave and paused, looking back over his shoulder, "I love you teme."

The tightness in Sasuke's chest clenched at his heart, "I love you too dobe."

Naruto moved to the door with a grin. As he pulled the door open he was startled to see Neji standing on the other side.

His grin shifted from happy to devilish, "Welcome back," he said coolly as he moved past the brunet, "Oh and Neji... you have to tell me what brand of detergent you use," he continued to move down the hall as he called out over his shoulder, "your sheets are so soft."

Slitted crystalline eyes followed the blond before Neji turned and stepped into his room. Halfway down the hall and Naruto began to cackle as he heard the Hyuga's raised voice.

"Ahh! It smells like ass in here!"


	25. Best Tutor Ever

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. The experiments are complete and things are beginning to wind down. Soon the semester will wrap up and with it this story. There are a couple chapters left yet so as always, I appreciate reader input. Are there any other loose ends to be tied up? Any questions left unanswered? Let me know! **

**Warnings: Please enjoy this lemon - I squeezed it just for you.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I do not profit from this fic. I do receive warm and fuzzies from my reviewers, but I cannot pay the bills with those.**

* * *

"So what do you think Iruka is going to say?" Naruto asked as he and Sasuke made their way up the stairwell.

Sasuke shrugged, "Depends... how incriminating do you think the videos are?"

Naruto mocked a grimace, "I think we are gonna have some explaining to do."

They arrived at the office only to find Jiraiya alone in the room. He smiled at the boys as he moved out from behind the cluttered desk, "Iruka is pretty busy this week, you know end of the semester and all. What do you have for him?" Naruto and Sasuke both pulled out their cameras, handing them over the the white-haired man, "I see. Excellent. I will make sure Iruka gets these. He will need time to check the documentation, how about you come back Wednesday?" The boys nodded and Jiraiya set the cameras down on the desk, "Oh and when you come back..." he turned and rummaged through a stack of papers on the desk, "bring these with you." A packet was handed to each boy, they looked down and back up curiously. Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest, "Exit questionnaire."

* * *

"Dammit," Naruto flipped through the pages of the questionnaire as he shoved fries in his mouth, "there are like 20 questions."

Sasuke smirked, "And here I thought the point of extra credit was so you could be lazy."

Naruto glared at the raven-haired boy and looked back down, "Some of these questions are ridiculous..." Naruto flipped through the pages, "_'Did you ever feel you were no longer consciously in control of your actions?'_ What does that even mean?"

Sasuke shrugged in response. He himself was uncertain what he had experienced over the course of the semester or how he felt about it. The only thing he knew for certain was that these experiments had allowed for events to unfold; events that he had wished for but had been unable to bring to fruition on his own. Whatever the value of these experiments to Iruka, Sasuke saw their value to himself.

Naruto huffed and pushed the packet away as he brought his soda to his mouth, twirling the straw with his tongue, "So Sasuke... got any plans after Statistics?"

A dark eyebrow arched as obsidian eyes followed the pink muscle. Sasuke sighed, "Unfortunately."

Lips closed around the straw and Naruto sucked lightly, his azure eyes swirled with lust. Sasuke's stony resolve waged an epic battle with his hormones; responsibility combating desire. It was the end of the semester... he had shit to do and sadly Naruto was not on that list.

Sasuke frowned, "I have a study group then I need to work on my German oral."

Naruto smiled, "What a coincidence I also have some oral to do..."

A lesser man may have blushed, Sasuke simply smirked, "How about tomorrow?"

"I don't know," Naruto pursed his lips in consideration, "I really have to get started on my history paper. Maybe if I get a good start I could take a _study break_."

Onyx eyes rolled as Naruto waggled his eyebrows. This was going to prove to be a frustrating couple of weeks; study groups, essays and test anxiety threatened to cock block them at every turn. Not to mention their omnipresent roommates. Sasuke couldn't wait for the semester to be over, the three weeks of winter break would prove to be the best holiday in years. Sasuke's brow furrowed ever so slightly, the break would only be good if he was able to spend it with Naruto but there was no way he could get away with skipping Thanksgiving _and_ Christmas – his mother wouldn't have it. Sasuke's eyes grew distant as he considered his options.

"Sasuke?"

The pale boy snapped back and offered the blond a small smile as he stood up, "I have to get going. I'll see you tomorrow."

Naruto followed Sasuke to the trash and tossed in his wrappers. He caught the raven-haired boy by the wrist and pulled him back. They stood chest to chest in the cafeteria entrance, a few people tossed them a wayward glance – judgmental eyes disapproving of their proximity.

"Don't think you can leave just like that," Naruto whispered in a low foreign tongue before leaning in.

The millisecond that Sasuke hesitated rekindled feelings of cowardice. He was so tired of restraining himself for the sake of sanctimonious onlookers. Embers of trepidation were swallowed by temerarious flames that licked at his desire.

The resulting kiss was neither tender nor chaste. Sasuke's mouth ravaged Naruto's in a display of defiance. Naruto clutched at Sasuke's jacket as the pale boy's tongue clashed violently with his own; his legs threatened to give out under the intensity of the exchange. Sasuke's searing, slick muscle invaded the depths of Naruto's mouth, coaxing out a wanton mewl. The pale boy pulled back and smirked at the panting blond who was still clinging to him for support.

"Wha...?" Naruto asked softly, eyes betraying his dazed state.

Sasuke's smirk grew more satisfied as soft Japanese fell from his lips, "Just get your fucking paper done."

* * *

"Come in!" Naruto shouted from his chair.

Sasuke tossed his bag to the floor next to Naruto's desk and leaned over the blond's shoulder to see how much he had completed. Pale lips quickly fell into a frown.

_'Charles Darwin by Naruto Uzumaki'_.

"Seriously?" He deadpanned and looked down to mess of blond spikes, "That is all you've done?"

"I know!" Naruto growled and tilted his head up to offer Sasuke an apologetic smile, "I just don't know what to do. I've got all my resources..." Naruto waved his hand a stack of books on his desk, "but I don't know what to say."

Sasuke moved to the pile of books and sifted through the titles, "He was born, he sailed around on a ship, he wrote a book, he died." Midnight eyes returned to Naruto, "Done."

Naruto heaved a sigh, "Not good enough. Professor doesn't want a biography. We are supposed to highlight some feature of their life, something that isn't necessarily what they are known for, but everybody knows Darwin," the blond turned to his computer and growled again, "stupid fucking Darwin."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "It really shouldn't be that tough. His research was very controversial... you should talk about that. The social ramifications of his work rather than the work itself." He flipped absentmindedly through a rather thick text, "You know he was in seminary or some shit before he wrote '_Origin of Species'_?"

Naruto turned and blinked at the pale boy, "Sasuke... you are a genius."

The raven-haired boy shrugged as if the comment was old news. His dark eyes returned to the near blank screen, "So how many pages?"

Naruto pursed his lips, "Five plus bibliography."

"Five pages..." Sasuke repeated as he looked around the room, "and where is Kiba?"

"Uh..." Naruto furrowed his brow, "library maybe."

Sasuke nodded, "So here is the deal," he spun the blond around in his chair, "for every page you finish I will give you five minutes to do..." obsidian eyes flared, "anything. And if you finish the paper before Kiba gets back..." he shrugged and took a step back.

Naruto spun around to his computer and grabbed a book. Sasuke smirked as he walked around to Naruto's bed, the sound of furious typing filling the room. Nobody could say Sasuke wasn't a good tutor.

* * *

Naruto was supporting himself with the wall as Sasuke knelt before him. The raven-haired boy was employing every weapon in his arsenal; his right hand slid leisurely up and down Naruto's shaft while his left prodded playful at the blond's puckered hole, with his mouth he gently sucked on Naruto's sac – scraping his teeth along the skin before offering a contrite lap.

Naruto growled as he looked down, admiring the pale face buried between his legs. But Sasuke wasn't looking up at him, the bastard didn't even have his eyes open. His ministrations were as magnificent as they were frustrating – Naruto's climax remained just out of reach. If those smoldering eyes would look up, even briefly, Naruto would be able to cum. Of course, all of this was known to Sasuke and he purposefully kept the blond on the brink.

One minute left. One minute and it was back to the computer; the fifth and final page was all that remained to be completed and with it came the promise of Naruto's own completion. As every page had escalated Naruto's reward – there was only one thing left upon finishing his paper.

Page one had earned Naruto a heated exchange of tongues, lips and teeth. Sasuke allowed the blond to pin him to the bed and be plundered. It was a rare occurrence that Naruto dominated the pale boy and it was a refreshing change of pace. Sasuke appreciated the blond's passion and didn't mind the aggressive force of Naruto's tongue clashing with his own.

The second page brought skin into the embrace. There were no pleasantries exchanged as Naruto stood up from his desk, walked over to the pale boy on his bed and pulled Sasuke's T-shirt up and off. Within seconds Naruto was in the same state of undress and bare torso's pressed together as their mouths collided. But they didn't stay locked for too long, soon lips and tongues found themselves wandering across flesh – sliding over muscle, flicking against pulses, sucking on dusky nipples. Five minutes were officially up just as Sasuke's tongue dipped into Naruto's navel.

After page three they picked up more or less where they had left off. This time Naruto was on top, grinding down and hissing as clothed erections were pressed together. Tan fingers pulled at the button to Sasuke's jeans and the pale boy shifted his hips to help release it. Naruto ran his tongue up Sasuke's taut stomach as his hand pulled down the zipper. He brought his head lower and lower, planting soft kisses along the way. With the denim out of the way Naruto brought his teeth to Sasuke's hard length, gnawing lightly through the fabric of his boxers. The pale boy shuddered at the sensation and just as the tan hands returned to finally release him – five minutes were up.

So Sasuke may have been a little sadistic as he rolled one of Naruto's balls against his tongue – but the blond started it. None of that mattered though, so long as Naruto could finish his paper before Kiba returned.

Sasuke perked up at the sound of whoop from the other side of the room. He closed his text book and moved off the bed; he needed no further indication to know it was finally time to take his pants off.

Pale hands paused as the door opened and closed quickly, "Naruto?"

The blonde sauntered around the corner, also in the process of undoing his pants, "Just giving Kiba a little warning."

Sasuke nodded and continued to strip. Naruto kicked off his boxers and for a moment the two boys just stood – eyes roving over the naked body of their lover. Naruto broke first, stepping toward the pale boy and pushing him back onto the mattress. Before Sasuke could offer a complaint the blond was straddling him, grinding lightly. He leaned forward, their hard lengths pressing together as he reached behind the raven-haired boy. Naruto didn't have a drawer to hide paraphernalia in, instead he kept a bottle of lube tucked firmly between the mattress and the wall.

Pulling back with his trophy in hand, Naruto smiled down at the pale boy. He slicked his fingers and handed the bottle to Sasuke. Naruto reached behind himself and slowly inserted two fingers; the intrusion caused a grimace, one eye squinting closed. The other eye drooped closed as the fingers began to pump steadily in and out of the tight hole.

"Naruto..." Sasuke breathed as he watched the blond prepare himself.

It was such a beautiful sight; eyebrows tweaked between pain and pleasure, sharp inhales and a steady rocking of hips. The introduction of a third finger was made known by the hiss released. Sasuke ached to be buried inside his blond.

Naruto's voice was thick as he spoke, "Sas... lube."

Tan fingers wrapped around Sasuke's hard cock. The pale boy gasped and fumbled to open the bottle. Naruto smoothed the liquid over the hot skin, stroking the length in time with his own pumping fingers. Wide obsidian eyes took in the erotic sight. _Jesus, fuck_. Naruto could not be outdone.

This had to be the most shameless and salacious thing Sasuke had ever witnessed. Naruto's eyes were closed, his bottom lip clenched between his teeth. His right hand was obscured from view, but the steady rhythm coupled with the rolling of hips spoke clearly of the activity. As if the ministrations of the right hand weren't sexy enough, the left held Sasuke's dick firmly – stroking and twisting to spread lube thoroughly across the shaft. Naruto's own erection was dark and pulsing, clear beads of precum rolling down from the head.

If it weren't for the promise of what was to come next, Sasuke would have wished for this scene to never end. Naruto finally removed his fingers from inside himself and slowly his eyes blinked open. The cobalt depths were screaming for Sasuke – they spoke of an insatiable need. Naruto did not release Sasuke's cock, instead he held the length firmly in place as he lifted himself up on his knees.

The blond positioned himself above Sasuke and swallowed subtly as he began to descend. He had never been in control before, the thought straddled the line between thrilling and terrifying. Naruto always depended on Sasuke to guide him through uncertain moments, but now he was in the lead. He felt the tip brush against his taint and Naruto maneuvered the length until he could feel it pressing against his entrance. Naruto bounced a little, feeling as the tapered head barely pierced the pucker. Feeling more confident the blond settled more of his weight against the tip. The sensation of being stretched made him feel strangely weightless, he lost the feeling in his extremities as all his attention was refocused to the intrusion. Naruto rolled his hips slightly, coaxing the hard length to sink deeper.

Sasuke watched with what could best be described as appreciation. Not just appreciation for the act that was taking place, but appreciation for what this undoubtedly meant to Naruto. He wasn't just taking control of sex, he was taking control of his sexuality. He was grabbing it by the reigns and commanding it. Sasuke had been serious before when he said that Naruto was strong, but the blond still had his reservations; now, as he slowly settled down on Sasuke's cock, Naruto was tossing aside all doubt. It truly was the fucking sexiest thing Sasuke had ever seen.

One achingly slow inch at a time, Naruto descended until he was hovering just above the pale boy's hips. The blond lifted himself up ever so slightly and brought himself down forcefully. Both boys cried out as Sasuke was finally buried completely in the tight heat.

Sasuke released a shuddered breath but his hands remained steady as they ghosted up tan thighs to grip Naruto's hips. Finding leverage with his knees, Naruto lifted himself slowly and Sasuke held him firmly as he slid back down. The blond repeated the motion, as little more this time – rising farther and falling faster.

"Oh God..." Naruto moaned as he found a steady rhythm, "Jesus... Sasuke..."

Azure eyes rolled back as Naruto groaned again. Sasuke's thick cock continued to slide in and out of him, stretching him deliciously. His head fell back as he cursed and cried out. The ecstasy created by penetration was entirely different from the sexual gratification he had grown accustomed to; it was nothing like have his cock stroked or sucked. It was the pressure – a deep pain coated in a viscous pleasure. And as the blond continued to impale himself on the hard length, he couldn't imagine how he had gone so long with out the sensation.

"Ahhh... fuck..." Naruto moaned as he rocked his hips harder, reveling in the way Sasuke' bulbous tip rubbed against him from the inside.

Onyx eyes darkened, lust seeping up from their depths, "That's right Naruto," Sasuke caught his lip under his teeth to hinder his moans, "ngghh... _fuck_... you like riding my cock... ahh... don't you?"

Under any other circumstance Naruto may have laughed or offered a hollow glare, but this was neither the time nor the place to be coy. The words spurred his actions further, hastening his pace and increasing his force. Slamming his body down onto Sasuke, his sac smacking against the pale abdomen and aching cock bobbing in time, Naruto released unrestrained sounds of pleasure.

Between wanton moans, Naruto found the strength to reply, "Yes... Sasuke..." several sharp inhales interrupted his response, "ahhh... ahhh... I love riding your... _mmm_... fat cock!"

Naruto lost himself to his screaming cries of ecstasy; his body fell forward, hands splayed out across Sasuke's chest. The pale boy tightened his grip around tan hips and forcefully pulled the blond up before slamming him back down. Naruto screwed his eyes shut tightly as he gaped in a silent cry. Sasuke lost himself to the rhythm, the hard and fast movement of the blond up and down his cock, and he began to thrust up. The blond cried out once more before biting down on his lip.

They collided violently – feeding off one another, extracting nothing but pure pleasure from each other. They were perfectly balanced; Sasuke's thick cock offered an ecstasy equal to that he received from Naruto's tight channel.

Naruto fell to his elbows and pressed his lips against Sasuke's. The rocking of hips against hips made the embrace difficult to maintain – teeth knocked together, lips and tongues slid against skin. The heated exchange was broken completely when Naruto arched his back, screaming out Sasuke's name. The pale boy cursed and thrust against Naruto's prostate again. And again. And once more.

The blond's moans grew to incoherent cries as Sasuke continued to plunder his ass. The raven-haired boy watched intently as the boy above him cursed between panting breaths. To know that he was the cause of Naruto's agonizing pleasure brought him a great satisfaction. Though not nearly as great as that which he was about to experience.

Thrusts grew frantic and Naruto found he could no longer control his rhythm. Their bodies moved greedily, searching for their impending climax. Naruto found his when he brought his hand to fiercely stroke his aching cock; white streams exploded from him, landing unceremoniously on Sasuke's chest and stomach. Sasuke came as the tight channel constricted around him, milking out his seed as the pale boy shuddered and moaned.

Naruto collapsed, falling into the pools on Sasuke's torso. He groaned in displeasure but couldn't be bothered to move. Sasuke brought his hands to stroke along Naruto's back, grazing the hot skin. The blond purred contentedly.

* * *

Kiba approached the door to his room with caution. The muffled sounds filling the hall seemed to get louder as he approached. He pulled a fluorescent yellow sticky note off the door and hung his head. _'Fucking' w_as all the hastily written note said. What happened to the days of hanging a sock on the doorknob? At least that displayed a hint of modesty. He shook his head and turned back down the hall.

* * *

Naruto shifted his gaze between the expectant eyes upon him. He wasn't used to Jiraiya being present during the psychological exam, the man's presence made him inexplicably nervous.

"I'd like to start," Iruka smiled reassuringly, "by congratulating you on completing the experiment. I know it must have been very straining."

Naruto's lips twitched up in a nervous grin, "Yeah, thanks."

The brunet tapped his pen against the file in his lap, "So, why don't you tell me about your experience?"

"Okay," Naruto chewed his lip, "well I really don't remember a lot of it. I mean, I remember the big stuff like the airport and the gun range..."

Iruka nodded, "Yes. There were definitely some... interesting scenes you recorded. Do you think any of the activities you engaged in were the result of the sleep deprivation?"

Naruto cocked his head slightly, "What do you mean?"

"Considering that impaired judgment is a symptom of sleep deprivation, do you think you would have still done some of the things you did if you hadn't been... under duress?" Iruka's soft eyes slitted slightly as he questioned the blond.

"Duress?" Naruto repeated, "We didn't do anything we wouldn't have done under normal circumstances. Sasuke would have punched his brother, we would have gone to the gun range, I would have f-uh..." he stammered to a stop and shifted his eyes to the floor, "I don't think our judgment was impaired."

Iruka nodded and scribbled on the page in his lap, "Go on. Did you experience anything unexpected? Odd sensations or hallucinations?"

Naruto pursed his lips as he pondered the question. His eyes slowly widened, "ah ha ha," he laughed nervously, "I had a little confrontation with Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi?" Jiraiya questioned.

Iruka leaned over to his adviser, "Manifestation of subconscious."

"Ahh..." the white-haired man nodded.

"Continue," Iruka looked back to Naruto with a smile.

"I didn't see him this time, he was just in my head. It was nothing really," the blond shrugged, "just more harassment about Sasuke."

Iruka's brow knotted slightly, "Why do you suppose your subconscious is so focused on Sasuke?"

Naruto's tongue swiped across his lips, "I guess because..." _I love him_, "there are aspects of our relationship that I have a hard time accepting. Kyuubi forces me to confront those ideas."

Iruka's gaze was just short of piercing as he watched the blond respond. While he did answer the question, he managed to avoid revealing anything. The brunet sighed, as interesting as that line of questioning may be it was unfortunately irrelevant – he needed to move on.

"Anything else? Trance states or lost time?" Iruka asked as he jotted down more notes.

"I really don't remember," Naruto pursed his lips and looked up as he tried to recall the events of the past weekend, "I guess there were a few times where I would find myself someplace and not know how or when I got there. It was like I woke up someplace different than I fell asleep... except I never fell asleep."

Iruka nodded, "That is not uncommon at all, especially if you are doing something routine like going to dinner or watching TV."

"I have a question," Jiraiya stated suddenly. All eyes turned to him, "How long have you been in love with Sasuke?"

Naruto stiffened in his seat as if a volt of electricity had shot through him. Iruka whipped his head to the side, "That is not appropriate," he turned back to the blond, "you don't have to answer that."

"On the contrary," Jiraiya turned to the grad student, "if my assumptions are correct, Naruto's realization of his feelings are a direct result of the experiments." The older man turned back to Naruto and smiled, "Am I right?"

Wide sapphire eyes shot back and forth between the two men and Naruto's hand shot up to the back of his head, scratching nervously, "I-I..." he looked down, studying his shoelaces intently before bringing his eyes back up, "I don't really know... I probably always loved him."

Jiraiya sat back in his chair, smirking with satisfaction, "So what changed?"

Naruto pursed his lips in thought, "It started with the hypnotism I suppose. Sasuke began to make advances and I didn't stop him. And then the sweat lodge with Kyuubi... I really couldn't deny it after that."

"Naruto," Iruka spoke softly, "would you say that your change in perspective was a direct result of these experiments?"

The blond furrowed his brow, "No. I mean... I didn't really _change_ my perspective, I gained a new understanding. I always felt something strong, I just didn't know the extent of it until now."

Iruka smiled, "It sounds like you have learned a lot about yourself."

Naruto smirked, "You have no idea."

* * *

Naruto smiled as the door to the stairwell opened, he stopped and leaned against the wall as Sasuke crossed the threshold. Sasuke offered a small smirk as he sauntered up to the blond. A pale hand found its way to Naruto's chest before traveling up. Fingers ghosted over the column of his neck before coming to rest in golden locks.

Naruto's smile was consumed by pale lips, he tilted his head and deepened the kiss. Sasuke's tongue gently slid against Naruto's, eliciting a moan from the blond. Begrudgingly, Naruto pulled back; he smiled again as Sasuke shook his head and pursued him further, tongue forcefully infiltrating his mouth.

He pushed the raven-haired boy back, "Nice to see you too."

"Hn." Sasuke responded with hazy eyes.

Naruto moved off the wall and toward the door, "Good luck up there," he offered a contrite smile, "they know about us."

A dark eyebrow arched, "Really?"

"Try to behave," the blond replied dryly.

* * *

"So Sasuke..." Iruka began.

"Hn."

"...tell us about your sleep deprivation experience."

"Those were quite possibly the best and strangest three days of my life," the pale boy replied with a smirk.

Iruka and Jiraiya exchanged a quick glance before the brunet continued, "Care to expand?"

Sasuke shrugged, "You saw our videos. Why don't you stop being coy and ask what you want to know?"

Iruka pursed his lips, his eyes taking on a devious glint that seemed very foreign in the soft brown hues, "Let's start with the synesthesia. You said at one point you saw sound. Please describe it."

Sasuke's face remained placid, though his pulse quickened with the memory, "Naruto appeared to glow and when he spoke sparks came out."

"Yes, that is what you said before," Iruka's tone was teasing.

"What more do you want to know?" Sasuke retorted dryly.

Iruka smiled, "I'm looking for... details."

Midnight eyes chilled a few degrees as Sasuke stared defiantly at the brunet, "If you must know..." his gaze flitted between the two men across from him, "we were fucking." Sasuke smirked at the wide eyed grad student, "He glowed red and as I plowed him harder it grew brighter and when he came it was like a geyser of light... Any other questions?"

Jiraiya appeared thoroughly amused, "My, my Sasuke. You really were able to find ways to entertain yourself."

Sasuke's smirk grew, "Oh, we kept ourselves _very_ entertained."

Iruka recomposed himself and cleared his throat, "Did you have any other hallucinatory episodes?"

Sasuke shook his head, "No," he chuckled darkly, "I thought I did, but it turns out some nightmares are real."

The grad student took pause, "You had difficulty distinguishing between reality and hallucinations?"

"I think it was more disbelief than confusion," Sasuke replied coolly.

"Given your experiences," Jiraiya began and dark eyes turned to him, "do you believe what you have developed with Naruto to be genuine?"

Sasuke's onyx eyes slitted, "What are you implying?"

Jiraiya raised his hands in defense, "Sasuke, I am not implying anything. I am just curious if you believe the sincerity of your emotions... or Naruto's."

"There is not a single doubt in my mind," Sasuke's icy tone cut through the space between them, "that what we have is real."

* * *

"Hey Sas–" Naruto was cut off as he was pushed roughly into the wall. He looked around the empty hallway before returning his eyes to Sasuke's. With a tint of concern in his voice he continued, "What's up?"

Pitch black eyes searched Naruto's wide azure obs. _Fucking Jiraiya_. Sasuke had never once doubted Naruto, but now the idea was festering in his mind. But as he peered into Naruto's eyes he found his uncertainty waning. Those sapphire eyes, flecked with darker hues that added dimension and depth, shimmered as they stared back. There was no doubt, fear or pretense.

"Naruto," Sasuke brought his hands up to cup Naruto's jaw, "I love you."

Those cobalt eyes blinked away their confusion and softened, filling with warmth. Naruto brought his hands up and grip Sasuke's wrists, "I love you too."

Sasuke visibly relaxed, he dropped his head to Naruto's shoulder and sighed. Still slightly uncertain exactly what was happening, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke and gently rubbed the strong back. He felt as Sasuke took a deep breath before straightening and taking a step back.

Naruto cocked his head, "Is everything okay?"

Sasuke's posture relaxed, "Everything is perfect."


	26. Reindeer Games

**A/N: I blame this late update on the dentist - threw my whole scedule out of whack. Thanks to all the reviews and support throughout this fic. This was my official last chapter but I decided I will be giving you a pseudo-epilogue so you have one more to look forward to. So please enjoy!**

**Warnigns: Delicious, juicy lemon - if that surprises you than I must question how closely you have been paying attention up to this point. ;)**

**Disclaimer: After all this I still don't own Naruto.**

* * *

"Do we have to do this?" Naruto whined as Sasuke adjusted the blond's Santa hat.

"Yes," Sasuke replied blandly, "we do. Trust me, I don't want to go any more than you but it is important."

"Why?" Naruto swatted pale hands away from his head.

"It's about community," Sasuke moved his hands to tie his own red and green scarf.

"Community?" The blond scoffed, "Sasuke Uchiha cares about community?"

"Shut up," the pale boy smiled as he pushed past the blond, "now come on."

* * *

The conference room was buzzing; Christmas music played in the background while the milling crowd maintained a dull roar. Naruto stood by the snack table and watched as Sasuke attempted to disengage in conversation with a flamboyant brunet in reindeer antlers. The blond chuckled and turned back to the punch bowl. _Serves the bastard right for dragging me here._

"Fancy meeting you here," an amused voice broke through the blond's thoughts.

Naruto turned to see Anko standing next to him, "Hey," his brow knotted slightly, "what's up?"

The girl chuckled and pushed a strand of violet hair behind her ear, "Oh... not much. How about you? Did you ever find a horse to mount?"

Naruto's lips twitched into a small smile, "Actually no, but I found one to mount me."

Anko's brows tweaked up in surprise and she followed the blond's gaze across the room to the raven-haired boy still struggling to shed the brunet. Finally, Sasuke freed himself and sighed heavily as he approached the snack table. The blond offered him a kiss on the cheek and a cup of punch.

Anko smiled at the display, "So no hard feelings then?"

Naruto turned to her and grinned cheekily, "Not at all," he slipped his arm around Sasuke's waist and pulled the pale boy closer, "I think that was just the push I needed."

"Well," Anko's eyes flicked across the room, "I ought to get back. It was nice seeing you again."

"You too," Naruto nodded.

He watched as Anko made her way through the crowd and sidled up to a petite blonde. Naruto lifted an eyebrow as the two exchanged a chaste kiss. Sasuke watched as gears began to turn and chuckled at the blond's contemplative countenance.

"Sakura is very tricky," he whispered into Naruto's ear.

Azure eyes widened, "Ahh..." he exhaled with a slight growl, "that bitch." Naruto looked over to the pale boy at his side and shrugged, "I guess this means I have to get her a better Christmas present."

* * *

Naruto desperately tried to contain his laughter as he watched Sasuke. The pale boy was perched, rather awkwardly, in the lap of what Naruto would politely describe as a handsome woman. The quintessential bulldyke, dressed in a Santa suit complete with what Naruto could only assume was a personal pair of black combat boots, held Sasuke firmly.

"What do _you_ want for Christmas?" Her voice was as robust as her form.

Sasuke sent a frigid glare to his boyfriend, "Take the damn picture."

Naruto flinched but his grin didn't fade. The photographer fumbled with his camera, "Sorry, I need to switch out the memory card..." he fished around in his pocket, "one second."

Santa's elf took the opportunity to lean in and tease the pale boy, "Have you been naughty or nice?"

Naruto could no longer hold back his fit of laughter. The elf, who appeared to have taken one too many trips to the tanning bed, was bent over as he harassed the raven-haired boy. His exceptionally tight short shorts left little to the imagination; this, paired with the matching green top which was open to nearly his navel, made the elf the most absurdly queer thing Naruto had ever seen.

Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes as he watched the elf steal a kiss from Sasuke's cheek. In that moment the flash went off and Naruto thanked God that this moment was caught on camera. The look of shock on Sasuke's face was priceless. With great restraint he separated himself from Santa and offered a painfully forced smile to the elf.

"I need that picture," Naruto grabbed the photographer by the shoulder.

The man smiled, "Write down your email, I will have it to you by the end of the night."

Naruto bent over the nearest table and eagerly wrote down his email address, his chest still trembling with laughter. Sasuke approached him stealthily and ran his index finger down Naruto's spine. The blond shot up with a shout. He turned around and smiled cheekily at the pale boy.

Naruto returned to the photographer and handed him the slip of paper, "My man, if that picture came out, you will be my personal hero."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pulled the blond away, "Glad you can get so much enjoyment from out of my misery."

Naruto laughed in response. He stopped and tugged Sasuke back, the raven-haired boy pivoted and stood in front of the blond. Still holding Sasuke by one hand, Naruto brought his other to the pale boy's waist, "I really don't get it Sasuke, you are being so patient tonight." His eyes traveled around the room, "You have let people talk to you and touch you. Nobody has been punched or left crying in the corner..."

Sasuke gave a blond a sardonic smirk, "It has certainly been a challenge." Sasuke's gaze flitted down, "These people have been good to me, I can tolerate one night of socialization."

Naruto's mouth twitched into a small smile, "I love you."

Sasuke's gaze came back up, his brow tweaked, "Why?"

Naruto shrugged, "I know you want the world to believe you are a cold-hearted bastard, but really you are a good guy."

Sasuke's eyes slitted, "You take that back."

Naruto shook his head and chuckled as he released the raven-haired boy in favor of moving back to the snack table. He refilled his punch and popped a cracker in his mouth, as he turned he nearly choked at the sight of Gaara talking to Sasuke. Naruto's coughing fit garnered the attention of both pale boys, tears were pricking in the corners of his eyes as they approached.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, patting the blond on the back.

Naruto nodded vehemently and attempted to right himself, he took another breath and doubled over once more. Naruto held up a hand, one finger pointing to the ceiling – signaling for them to wait. Finally the coughing subsided and Naruto took a drink of punch.

Taking a large breath, Naruto laughed nervously, "Watch out for the crackers."

Gaara's pale green eyes were smiling as he chuckled at the blond. Naruto took Sasuke's hand and squeezed it tightly, he relaxed some as Sasuke squeezed back. It wasn't that he was threatened by Gaara, but something about the redhead made him react possessively. Naruto trusted Sasuke and he understood that what had happened between them was not only in the past, it was regretted by both parties – but he still felt a niggling discomfort.

Naruto swallowed his unease, "How have you been Gaara?"

The redhead smiled, "Well, thanks." His gaze shifted nervously, "I'm glad you two could make it out tonight."

Sasuke nodded, "We have an early flight in the morning, but I thought we could spare a few hours."

"Early flight?" Gaara tilted his head.

"Yeah," Sasuke sighed despondently, "We are going back home for the holiday."

"Home?" Gaara asked curiously, "Your home?"

Sasuke's lips pulled down into a small frown, "Yeah."

Naruto rolled his eyes and knocked his shoulder against Sasuke's, "It isn't that bad." He turned his eyes to Gaara, "They invited us. I'm pretty sure they didn't do it to torture us."

Sasuke huffed a laugh, "You clearly do not know my family."

Gaara smiled reassuringly, "I'm sure your family will be happy to see you... both."

"Yeah, well," Sasuke shrugged, "we'll see."

Blue and green eyes deftly avoided each other as an awkward silence filled the space between them. Sasuke observed the uncomfortable exchange, or lack thereof, and questions began to resurface and reformulate. What, exactly, had gone on between these two on that fateful day a couple weeks ago?

Sasuke cleared his throat, "We really ought to get going."

Gaara nodded, "It was good to see you again," he offered a small grin, "and good luck."

As they walked down the hall of the student union, hand in hand, Sasuke felt his curiosity bubbling deep inside him. Before descending the flight of stairs, Sasuke stopped.

Naruto cocked his head and smiled at the pale boy, "What's up?"

Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly, "I want to know what you and Gaara talked about that day."

Azure eyes blinked, "Why?"

"Because," Sasuke raked a hand through midnight locks, "I don't like the idea of you keeping something from me. Especially something important."

Naruto laughed lightly, "It really isn't a big deal."

"Then tell me," Sasuke said with a defiant chill in his tone.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice was low, "I needed some advice, I got what I needed. Just drop it."

Naruto turned to continue but the pale hand around his tugged him back, "No."

Naruto glared at the raven-haired boy, "Fine," he pulled away from Sasuke's grip, "you wanna know so bad?"

Naruto quickly searched the vicinity, he found an unmarked door and made a beeline for it. Finding the door unlocked Naruto slipped behind it, shutting it with force. Sasuke watched, baffled at the blond's behavior. He suddenly found himself alone in the hall. Growling at his own childish behavior Sasuke moved toward the door. _Why am I always such a dick?_ His pride could never allow him to let anything go, he always had to be so damn combative.

He opened the door, meager light spilled in from the hall, illuminating a patch of gray carpet and little else. Sasuke stepped into the black room and shut the door behind him. His hand fumbled around on the wall, searching for a light switch.

"Naruto?" Sasuke's voice penetrated the dark and silent room.

Receiving no reply, Sasuke continued to feel against the wall until he finally located the switch. He blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the light. Sasuke took in the setting, they were in a storage room; to his left folding tables leaned against the wall, to his right shelves contained piles of linens, napkins and toilet paper, and against the far wall sat stacks of chairs. It was here that his eyes stopped and widened. Sasuke swallowed hard as his hand found and flipped the lock to the door.

"Naruto?" Sasuke voice cracked from his suddenly dry throat.

The blond was bent over a low stack of chairs, stark naked with his legs spread. He turned and peered over his shoulder at the raven-haired boy, his cobalt eyes narrowed. Naruto turned back to face the far wall and placed his hands on his ass, pulling the cheeks apart and revealing his puckered hole.

"I went to Gaara to get some advice on this," Naruto's voice was rather aggressive considering his current position, "I had no idea what to expect and I didn't want you to think... I don't know. I was just embarrassed." Naruto detested how weak he sounded, growling he continued, "But when I went to talk to Gaara he couldn't help me... because there was a conflict of interests. I found out what I needed to know thanks to a few helpful websites."

"I'm sorry Naruto," Sasuke said softly, taking an uncertain step forward.

Naruto hung his head, his shoulders sagging some, "Don't be sorry. Just don't be such an asshole."

Sasuke took another step and bit his lip as he eyed Naruto's entrance. His voice thickened as he spoke, "You know that is hard for me..." Naruto huffed at that, "and you should know better than to be embarrassed about anything, especially if it has to do with us."

Naruto continued to look straight ahead as he sighed, "I know. I guess I thought that in the end it didn't matter. I found out what I needed to know... well more than I _needed_ to know... and we are happier now than we have ever been. I was hoping to just move on."

Sasuke's hands moved to his pants, silently unbuckling his belt, "In the future dobe, if you have any questions concerning our sex life, I would prefer you address them with me first."

Naruto nodded, a small smirk crept across his lips at the sound of a zipper being slowly pulled down. His voice was low, dripping with lust, "Teme," Naruto turned slightly, seeing only the hint of movement in his periphery, "what do you think you are doing?"

Sasuke brought his hands to meet Naruto's; his long, slender fingers pressing into the flesh of Naruto's ass. The raven-haired boy fell to his knees. He twisted his hands until his fingers interlaced with Naruto's, still tugging cheeks apart.

The pale boy nuzzled into a firm globe of muscle and sighed, the hot breath ghosting over the skin and causing the blond to shudder. "Naruto..." he began, his lips caressing flesh, "if you ever have questions, I want you to come to me. I will teach you anything you want to know." Sasuke's tongue slid out to sear skin, "And in the event I don't know, we will learn together."

Naruto released a wanton cry as Sasuke's sinful tongue meandered further between his cheeks. Sasuke ran his tongue deeper between the muscles, dragging it over the quivering entrance and up Naruto's crack.

Sasuke's moan, bordered on a growl, "Fuck, I love the way you taste."

The hot muscle took another long lap, beginning deep against the blond's taint and running hard all the way up. Naruto's knees weakened and he was forced to removed his hands from under Sasuke's in order to hold himself up. The pale boy didn't offer a reprieve, he licked the hot flesh again this time pausing to tease the twitching pucker. He pulled the cheeks apart further, smiling as the hole opened slightly – Naruto was still a little loose from their earlier escapades. Sasuke brought his lips to the pink pucker, applying gentle kisses. Before too long the kisses grew in intensity, tongue slipping out to massage the hole. Sasuke began to apply a light suction to the sensitive skin and was rewarded with a throaty moan.

Sasuke continued to stroke the hole, prodding it with his slick muscle and Naruto continued to gasp and moan. The pale boy began to swirl his tongue in and around the quivering entrance apply a generous coat of saliva. The laps grew hasty as Sasuke began to lose his patience, he wanted to be in that tight space and be wanted to be in now.

Sasuke pulled back his face and took a few panting breaths, "Naruto, you think you can take a rough ride?"

Naruto's mouth pulled into a devilish grin, "I think I could give it a shot."

The raven-haired boy quickly got to his feet and released his cock from its confines. Sasuke didn't try to be discreet as he spat into his palm and ran his fist over the hard length, slicking it as best he could. Sasuke bit his lip as he pressed the tip against Naruto's moist entrance. He circled the head around the hole, smearing the pucker with his precum.

"Are you sure?" Sasuke's voice was more desperate than concerned.

Naruto growled in response, "I swear to God Sasuke... if you don't shove your dick in me right now I – aaahhhh"

Naruto brought a white knuckle fist to his mouth, biting down until divots were formed in the skin. Sasuke mumbled an apology as he plunged in a second time, completely burying himself in the tight heat. Pale hands gripped Naruto's hips tightly as Sasuke rammed the blond repeatedly. Sasuke thrust forward and, with equal power, pulled Naruto back. The raven-haired boy threw his head back and released a guttural moan, the tight heat consuming his length.

"Jesus... Naruto..." Sasuke panted between hard thrusts.

The blond released the fist from his mouth, "Yes... God, Sasuke..." Naruto was interrupted by his own wanton moans, "ngghh... yes... Jesus fuck me."

Sasuke groaned and picked up the pace, slamming his cock harder and deeper into the blond. Naruto bucked back, attempting to bury the length further. Their frantic rhythm threatened to unravel them, their cries of pleasure growing in strength and volume. Sasuke leaned forward, running his tongue up Naruto's spine as his hips rocked harshly against the blond's backside. The blond's moans turned to screams as the thick cock slid against his prostate.

"Right there?" Sasuke's voice was dark as he thrust again.

Naruto cried out again, "Yes! God, Sasuke! Fuck me, fuck me right there!"

The pale boy happily acquiesced, sliding in and out of Naruto's tight channel – rubbing his cock against the sweet bulge. He felt the tingle, the warning that he was not going to last long. Letting go of Naruto's hips, Sasuke reached around the blond and began to roughly fist Naruto's throbbing length.

A graveled moan was released by the blond as he found his body bombarded by sensation. The rhythmic grinding of Sasuke's fat cock against his prostate coupled with the fingers strangling his own aching erection sent waves of pleasure coursing though him. The surge of ecstasy pulled at him, whisking him out into a sea of bliss. Naruto cried out again, this time it was a sob released from deep inside. One more thrust, one more pump and the blond let go.

Sasuke felt the hot liquid spilling onto his hand and the squeeze around his hard length. He cursed as he thrust through the constricting heat, the walls rubbing along his cock with a delicious pressure. His breath caught in his throat with the intensity of his impending orgasm. He gasped once more and finally released with a rumbling groan.

Pale hips continued to roll against Naruto's ass, Sasuke refused to stop – wishing the sensation washing over him would never cease. He finally pulled out his softened cock and stumbled backwards. Sasuke pulled a white tablecloth of a shelf and wiped off his hand and dick. He returned to the blond and ran the cloth up tan thighs before nestling the fabric between Naruto's cheeks. As he pressed the tablecloth against the leaking hole, Sasuke leaned forward to plant kisses along Naruto's back.

The blond turned and smiled, his eyes still hazy in afterglow. He pulled a corner of the cloth up to his softened length and wiped off the remnants of his release. Naruto pursed his lips when he realized what he was cleaning himself off with and debated whether they should just leave it crumpled on the floor or find a dumpster to dispose of the evidence.

Sasuke tucked himself back into his pants and zipped up as he searched for Naruto's clothes; he located the pile under a stack of chairs and handed the articles to the blond. Naruto winced as he pulled on his boxers and pants but by the time his head popped out of his shirt collar he was smiling. He strolled up to the pale boy and snatched his Santa hat from Sasuke's hands.

"I think I am going to have to tell Santa you have been a bad boy," Naruto smirked, eyes twinkling with mirth.

Sasuke leaned in, dark eyes gleaming, "I'm not the only naughty boy in this room," he reached behind the blond and grabbed a handful of firm muscle, "but I think I prefer naughty to nice."

Naruto chuckled and stepped out of Sasuke's grip, "Come on, it's late and we have an early day tomorrow."

The raven-haired boy nodded in agreement and followed the blond out the closet. The innuendo was not lost on him.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he settled into the seat at their gate. They had managed to get through security without incident – thankfully, Sasuke had avoided being added to the no-fly list after the altercation with Itachi. Naruto looked out to the tarmac, the asphalt was still wet from an early morning drizzle. He yawned as he watched a 747 taxi towards the gate. The blond leaned his head on Sasuke's shoulder and was immediately flooded with a tense aura.

Naruto sat up and looked over to the raven-haired boy, his body was so tense and his face blank as he stared out the window. A tan hand reached out to massage Sasuke's neck, rubbing tiny circles just under his skull. The pale boy visibly relaxed; his eyes closed and released a heavy sigh.

"It is going to be fine," Naruto said softly, "you are getting way too worked up."

Sasuke nodded, "I know," his eyes moved to Naruto's, "it's actually kind of funny – the last time I visited my parents I was gay and in love with you. The only difference now is that everybody knows it."

Naruto smiled, "You see? You are the same as you have always been. Even if they tried, they could never take that away from you. They can never take me from you."

Sasuke's eyes moved contemplatively across Naruto's face, "When did you become so insightful?"

"When I changed my major to psychology," Naruto shrugged.

"Ahh..." Sasuke nodded, "seriously that is a terrifying thought."

Naruto squeezed the pale neck hard and Sasuke's smirk faltered as he grimaced. For all his teasing, Sasuke had supported Naruto's decision. The blond would make a good shrink; he was kind and understanding and his warmth made him approachable. Hell, Naruto's warmth had made _Sasuke_ approachable – that feat alone deserved to get the blond a PhD.

"We can still bail you know?" Sasuke nodded opposite the gate, "Exchange our tickets for somewhere with palm trees and private beaches."

Naruto pursed his lips in contemplation, "Tempting... but I think we should just go see your folks and get this first visit out of the way."

Sasuke sighed and sat back in his chair. He smiled inwardly, _first visit?_ How many visits would they have? Where did Naruto see this going? It had only been a few months, but it felt like a lifetime. A lifetime might be more accurate. He wanted a lifetime. Sasuke took hold of Naruto's hands and gripped it tightly. He never wanted to let go; he wanted to forever hold Naruto close and bask in the warmth of his very own sun.


	27. Happy Holidays

**A/N: A thousand apologies for the delay in posting this chapter. Between illness, fires and out of town trips I just haven't been able to complete the chapter. I want to thank all my dedicated readers and reviewers. I am also sorry I haven't had a chance to respond to all the reviews for ch. 26 but I figured people would rather read the final chapter than get a reply - but please know I appreciate all of the comments I receive. I have already started work on my next story and I hope you will all enjoy it as much as you have this fic. **

**Warnings: Once last sexy horrah!**

**Disclaimer: If you still think I might own Naruto or profit from this fic you have not been reading my notes.**

* * *

Sasuke leaned against the door to the guest bedroom with his eyes closed and back of his head pressed against the smooth wooden surface. He groaned – he really didn't want to go to dinner. For many reasons.

"Sasuke?" Mikoto's voice penetrated the door.

_Fuck_.

"Yeah?" Sasuke grimaced as he answered.

His eyes moved to the door knob, watching as it slowly began to turn. A pale hand shot to the knob and held it firmly. Finally his mother gave up trying to open the door, "What are you doing in there? Where's Naruto?"

The pale boy could hear the implications in his mother's voice and he was almost offended. Almost. But as his fingers wove deeper into the blond locks attached to the head that continued to bob up and down on his hard dick... he really couldn't resent the accusatory tone.

Sasuke swallowed his moan as Naruto swallowed his cock, "I'm just getting changed for dinner..." he gaped silently as his hips thrusts uncontrollably against the lips wrapped so tightly around him, "Naruto is taking a nap, I think he is still jet lagged."

It was almost disturbing how easily he could keep his voice steady as he lied to his own mother. Naruto didn't seem too perturbed as he flattened his tongue and ran in slowly up the hot shaft. He took a second lap, this time roving the slick muscle against the veins before swirling around the tip. The blond hummed happily as he licked up the precum that seeped from the slit.

Sasuke had nearly forgotten his mother's presence as he watched the blond suck him off. His head snapped up, nearly colliding with the door as she spoke again, "Alright, well dinner is in a few minutes. Don't dawdle."

"O-okay," Sasuke struggled to maintain his even tone.

Finally he heard the sound of footsteps fading down the hall and couldn't resist releasing a quiet moan. Naruto applied a light suction as he bobbed continuously. One tan hand left its perch on Sasuke's hip to meander into his open pants; Naruto reached in and began to fondle Sasuke's balls through the fabric of his boxers. The raven-haired boy shuddered at the sensation of cotton rubbing against his sac and pressure of the digits playing with his balls.

Sasuke tightened his grip on the golden locks, tugging harshly. Naruto growled and sucked harder in response. The glorious vibration traveled down Sasuke's hard length before settling deep in his sac. Lids fluttered closed over obsidian eyes and Sasuke panted as he fought back the rising need to cum.

"Don't... nghhh," Sasuke could feel his knees growing weaker, "don't stop."

Naruto spared a look up to the pale boy and was very satisfied by what he saw. The hand that had been holding the door knob was now tangled into midnight locks, dark eyebrows were knotted with a desperation that was amplified by Sasuke's parted lips and lightly flushed cheeks. The raven-haired boy was soaked in an aching agony that teetered on the edge of exquisite euphoria.

The blond closed his eyes and focused on his task. He pulled back to the tip and whirled his tongue around and around as he slowly descended. His tight lips ran along the contours of Sasuke's shaft and once he could not longer swirl his tongue he flattened it and pushed the cock up to run along the roof of his mouth. He continued to apply a forceful suction as he went down – until his nose was nestled into short dark hair, and that is when the blond swallowed. Hard. Repeatedly. His throat undulated, constricting around the throbbing cock. Sasuke's body was racked with an intense shudder as the tingle grew exponentially and finally snapped. He gasped as he felt the rush of release and as his dick pulsed in the hot cavern of Naruto's mouth – he let out a deep and rumbling moan.

Naruto gagged once and clenched his eyes shut as he felt wetness seep into his eyelashes. He pulled his face back some but continued to pump the hard length until the final drops of warm cum fell from the slit and onto his tongue. Naruto released the relaxing cock and swallowed the last bits of pleasure. The pale hand fell from his hair, listless.

The blond looked up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Sasuke blinked blearily, a content smile tugging at his pale lips. The raven-haired boy slid down against the door until he too was on his knees. He took a deep, satisfied breath and brought his hands up to cup Naruto's undoubtedly tired jaw. His thumb brushed across the swollen pink lips, wiping off excess moisture – whether it was spit or cum didn't matter.

"Have I told you..." Sasuke spoke softly into the quiet room, "how much I fucking love you?"

Naruto smiled and nuzzled into a pale hand, "I love you too teme," the blond pulled away from Sasuke's embrace, "now come on, we have to get down to dinner." Naruto smirked as he stood up, "We don't want to give your parents the wrong idea."

Sasuke chuckled as he zipped up his pants, "No... I think we _do_ want to give them the wrong idea. It is the right idea that I'm worried about."

* * *

Dinner was... awkward. There was really no other way to describe it. Mikoto had insisted that Fugaku and Itachi leave their work in the office and as a result uneasy glances were shifted from one individual to the next as the formal dining room was filled with the sound of silver against porcelain. Fugaku sat at the head of the table, Itachi and Mikoto flanking him while Sasuke and Naruto sat across from each other on the other end. The seating arrangement wasn't intentional but it was greatly appreciated. Dinner was nearing completion before anybody said anything beyond "pass the salt".

"Sasuke, your father and brother will be spending an unfortunate amount of time at the office this week," Mikoto shot a halfhearted glare at the elder Uchihas before returning her eyes to her youngest son, "but I thought we could spend some time in the city. I know Naruto has never been here before, I thought he might enjoy some sightseeing."

Azure eyes brightened with the invitation, "That sounds nice."

Mikoto's voice raised with excitement, "Oh, it will be so fun. There are museums and landmarks... Naruto have you ever wanted to visit–"

"I'm sure they have plenty of time to get in some tourist activities," Itachi interjected as he sat back and sipped his wine, "but I'm guessing they would like to get settled first. Why don't you give them a couple of days?"

Mikoto nodded, "Yes, of course." Her eyes fell to her plate and traveled back over to Naruto, "They are just so jaded by the city, I rarely have the opportunity to go out on the town."

Naruto caught Fugaku's exasperated eye roll and he smirked, "Well I would love for you to show me around."

A small smile danced across Sasuke's lips. His father may be a bitch to win over, but Naruto was having no problem schmoozing the Uchiha matriarch. Getting her on their side would be a major victory – Fugaku would have no choice but surrender at that point. Sasuke sighed, of course that meant he too would be dragged around the city while his mother crooned and he forced a smile. His face hurt with the thought of so many hours being pulled into a placated grin.

Naruto swallowed his last piece of tender chicken and smiled across the table to Mikoto, "Dinner was delicious Mikoto, thank you."

The pale woman smiled warmly, "I'm glad you liked it. I was worried the jet lag would have hurt your appetite."

Sasuke chuckled, "Nothing can hurt his appetite."

Fugaku's dark eyes pierced the occupants at the end of the table, searching for innuendo. Finding none he cleared his throat, "Yes Mikoto, dinner was quite good."

"Well," Mikoto stood up and began to clear the table, "I hope you saved room for desert, I made a cream pie."

Mischievous azure eyes moved to Sasuke, who was pursing his lips to contain his laughter. There was unspoken challenge as the two boys exchanged glances. Even Itachi noticed the tension that was mounting as the two boys stared at one another.

"Sasuke..." Naruto's voice trembled with threatening laughter, "would like creampie?"

The pale boy didn't respond immediately. He ran his tongue against his teeth while his dark eyes continued to challenge the blond. Sasuke tweaked his brow as he finally responded, "Very much so. Thank you Naruto for the offer."

Fugaku glared down the length of the table, certain that the exchange was indecent and deeply grateful he did not understand it. He was trying, much harder than he would care to admit, to accept Sasuke and his... _boyfriend_. But the idea still made his skin crawl. He didn't know how it worked – he didn't want to know – but he prayed that Sasuke managed to retain some dignity despite his... activities. This teasing banter did little to conciliate him.

Mikoto finished clearing the plates and smiled to the men around the table, "So, four cream pies than?"

Sasuke couldn't help but snort.

* * *

Sasuke wiped his face with the soft white hand towel and smirked into the mirror. He grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste and left the bathroom with a spring in his step. Naruto was going to regret the creampie comment – he was going to regret it so _good_.

As he approached the bedroom door his heart chilled at the sound of his brother's voice, "Because I don't want any bloodshed before Christmas..." Sasuke turned to find Itachi leaning against the door jamb of the room across the hall, "I am going to warn you now. Despite how much this place cost, they skimped on the insulation."

Sasuke blinked twice before settling his expression into a smirk, "Good to know."

"Do you need a gag?" Itachi cocked his head as if he held genuine concern, "I bet I could rustle something up..."

"Ahh... God, Itachi," Sasuke grasped frantically for the door knob, "Jesus... no!"

Sasuke quickly opened the door, hurled himself into the room and shut it rather forcefully. He shuddered at the thought, images threatening to play behind his eyelids. Whatever excitement he had in the bathroom was fading fast.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's low voice snapped the pale boy from his disturbing thoughts.

The blond was laying on the bed, head propped up on the dark wood headboard. His legs were crossed at the ankles and arms tucked up under his pillow. But his position on the bed was none of Sasuke's concern, it was the nakedness of the tanned body that enraptured him. Naruto's nude form stood out against the pure white linens and Sasuke found he was drawn to it as a moth to flame. As he approached, Sasuke quickly dispatched all garments until he was equally exposed. The pale boy climbed onto the mattress and nestled between Naruto's legs, he sat back and admired the body laid out before him.

Pale hands began exploration, starting at the knees and traveling up. Fingertips ghosted up thighs and lingered around jutting hip bones. Sasuke continued up Naruto's sides, still warm from his shower, before diverting back in to tease dusky pink nipples. The raven-haired boy shifted as he continued his ascent and as his hands traveled up the tan column of neck and nestled into damp blond locks, Sasuke's lips brushed against Naruto's anxiously waiting mouth. Naruto did not hesitate to offer his tongue, rolling it gently against Sasuke's parted lips and slipping it in to run against teeth. Sasuke offered his tongue tentatively, teasingly – running it softly along the intruding muscle before pulling back and flicking against its counterpart. Naruto soaked up the fresh, minty flavor and lashed his tongue deeper into the cavern in search of more.

Sasuke pulled his head back and smiled as Naruto followed, hazy eyes half hooded. The raven-haired boy moved back to his sitting position between Naruto's spread legs and allowed his eyes to fall to the cock hardening in slow and steady pulses. Sasuke didn't mask his lecherous gaze as debated his plan of attack.

"Where is the lube dobe?" He asked softly, eyes never diverting from the swollen organ. Naruto smiled and reached over to the nightstand, pulling out the drawer and extracting the requested bottle. Sasuke's gaze flitted up briefly and a smirk settled on his lips, "Making yourself at home?"

The blond shrugged as he handed the bottle over, "If we are going to be here for three weeks, I figure we ought to get comfortable."

Sasuke snorted as he slicked his fingers. Naruto hadn't bothered to unpack any of his clothes and the only toiletries he had removed were those he had already used... but the lube – that had to be unpacked immediately. _Well, at least he has his priorities in order. _

A pale and slender digit probed lightly at the puckered entrance. Circling around it and tucking in about half a knuckle before slipping out and pressing against the quivering hole. Sasuke reveled in the tiniest pleasured mewls released by the blond as he continued to tease the twitching entrance. Finally Sasuke sank the digit into the tight heat; a small smile crept across his lips at the pleased hum he received in response. He began to stroke the hot, muscled walls in a steady rhythm, pushing in as deep as possible and curling his finger slightly as he pulled out.

Naruto's eyes fluttered closed as he lost himself to the intimate petting. Nothing could ever compare to Sasuke's touch; the tender ministrations, like those he was currently experiencing, and the fierce pounding that he was likely going to be receiving later. Sasuke's smile grew as the blond began to lightly roll his hips in accompaniment to the strokes – he suspected Naruto wasn't even aware he did this, it was an action that only occurred when was so rapt by the sensations that he lost all sense of himself.

"Mmm... Sasuke..." Naruto purred, "I think your mom is starting to like me."

The pale hand ceased pumping, though the digit remained deep inside the blond, "Could you not talk about my mother while I have my fingers inside you?"

Azure eyes blinked open and a sheepish grin adorned Naruto's mouth, "Sorry." Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued to stroke, pumping his middle finger in and out of the tight channel. Just as he found the perfect pace, Naruto once again found his voice, "Do you think your dad will ever like me?"

In a frustrated huff Sasuke pulled out his finger, "If you keep talking about my parents I will refuse to fuck you."

It was only half a threat, the other half was unfortunate truth. At this rate, Sasuke would be unable to keep it up long enough to adequately fuck the blond – and he would rather hold off than do a mediocre job.

Naruto's lip jutted out into a pout, "Sasuke..." he whined.

Onyx eyes rolled reflexively before returning to meet Naruto's gaze. Sasuke's low voice existed somewhere between husky and reassuring, "Naruto I don't just love you for your pretty face and tight ass." Azure eyes slitted slightly but Sasuke's haughty smirk could not be dissuaded, "You are warm and kind and vibrant. Anybody that cannot see past your sexuality to appreciate who you are... is an idiot. That includes members of my family."

Naruto smiled and scooted down, settling deeper into the mattress. He spread his legs further apart and closed his eyes – he would offer Sasuke no further interruption. The raven-haired boy smiled as he returned his hand to the eagerly twitching hole. He plunged back in, two fingers this time, and was rewarded when Naruto moaned and arched his back.

Sasuke continued to pump inside the blond with his middle and ring fingers while he ran his thumb against Naruto's taint, rubbing the bulge of cock that attached deep inside. The pale boy massaged Naruto's prostate from inside and out, milking out graveled moans. Naruto once again began to roll his hips, allowing the digits to sink deeper and thumb to press harder.

Sasuke leaned down, fingers still buried deep within the tight channel, and brought his lips to ghost over the blond's hard shaft. Hot breath washed over the sensitive skin and Naruto's cock twitched in response. Sasuke's tongue slipped out, leisurely stroking the hard length. The blond shuddered as the slick muscle lapped and probing fingers stroked. Unable to hold back his wanton cries, Naruto arched his back again and cursed into the silent room.

After one last flick of his tongue, Sasuke pulled back, "Naruto," he peered up to see lust glazed eyes blink open, "you know I love the sound of your voice, but..." fingers brushed teasingly against the sweet bulge inside the blond causing him to writhe under the pale boy, "you have to be quiet."

Naruto nodded and bit his lip to obscure another moan as Sasuke's fingers continued to move expertly within him. Sasuke looked back down to see the clear liquid pearling out from the tip of Naruto's flushed cock, he took one last teasing lap before retreating completely. The blond gave a small whine of disapproval as he felt the warmth of Sasuke's hand and mouth leave him, but his complaints didn't last long as Sasuke rolled him over and pulled his hips up.

Naruto lifted himself until he was supported by his hands and knees; he looked back with unmasked excitement to see Sasuke stroking his backside and getting into position behind the blond. When he felt the tip of Sasuke's cock press teasingly against his hole, Naruto turned back and hung his head – ready to accept the thick shaft.

But the hard thrust never came. He could feel the warm, wet tip brush against his anxiously twitching entrance – prodding the pucker, applying pressure but not penetrating. Sasuke ran his cock up, between Naruto's delicious ass cheeks. He stayed there for a few thrusts, fucking the crevice. Slowly he redirected the head once more to the quivering hole and pressed against it with more force – spreading the tight ring by millimeters. Naruto's breath hitched as he felt the familiar stretch, but his hopes were quickly shattered as the pressure subsided and he felt the intruder receded. Sasuke moved his cock down, to rub along Naruto's taint before sliding the moist tip against the back of his sac. Once again, he slid the hard length against Naruto, doing little more than incite the blond.

"Sasuke!" The blond growled and twisted around to catch a glimpse of the pale tease behind him, "Have you forgotten how to fuck?"

The raven-haired boy offered Naruto a devilish smirk, his eyes dark and gleaming like a frigid inferno, "Oh," he chuckled and tweaked his brow, "I remember how to fuck you Naruto. And after tonight you are never going to forget me fucking you."

Cobalt eyes widened with the lascivious threat, he didn't know whether he should be excited or terrified. Never one to back down from a challenge, he hardened his expression, "Well... what are you waiting for?"

Sasuke's eyes slit dangerously. In one swift movement he gripped Naruto's hips and slammed into the blond. Naruto gasped, his torso falling to the mattress as he bit down on a white knuckle fist. Sasuke took a moment to revel in the tight heat engulfing his entire cock; the muscled walls spasmed around him – tensing and relaxing, pulling him in while attempting to push him out. Slowly he pulled back, retreating completely from the constricting channel. Naruto relaxed, heaving a sigh as the thick shaft left him. Once again he felt the tip of Sasuke's cock pressing against his hole, gradually working past the ring of muscle.

Sasuke took his time with this second penetration, appreciating the way the tightly muscled walls parted to accommodate his girth. He never tired of that sensation – the way the channel wrapped around him, holding him securely while graciously accepting more and more of him. He groaned as he focused on the feel of the ridges, bumps and bulges sliding against his cock, enveloping him in a sinfully tight heat.

Naruto shuddered as the thickness slowly reentered him, stretching and filling him. After the rather violent initial penetration, this entrance was deliciously slow. There was rarely pain anymore, except during their rougher sessions and even then it was usually a welcome sensation – an accompaniment to the pleasure that brought balance to the experience. After all, you can never truly know pleasure unless you have endured pain.

Having fully seated himself within the blond, Sasuke began to make small thrusts as if he were testing the waters. But he knew these depths quite well, he knew what would bring forth moans, grunts and growls. And he also knew Naruto's limits – it would be these limits that Sasuke would play with... all night long. As long as Sasuke to manage. He was going to toy with the blond – bring him to the brink of climax before pulling him back. Over and over for as long as he could.

Slowly, Sasuke picked up his pace. Sliding in and out of the tight channel with controlled thrusts. It made for a beautiful sight – the way his glistening cock emerged from the stretched hole before sinking back into the depths. Slender fingers kneaded the flesh of Naruto's ass as he continued to plow the blond. Naruto bit back his moans, releasing only broken grunts of approval instead.

Sasuke thrust harder and faster until Naruto's body went limp from the abuse, the blond's face buried in the mattress as he cried out for more. The pale boy rammed into Naruto until his muscles burned and knees cramped from spending too long in one position. The room was filled with the sounds of his relentless pounding – Naruto's muffled moans, the slap of skin against skin, the creaking of the bed as it endured the constant motion.

The raven-haired boy reined in his thrusts, slowing his hips to a leisurely roll. Naruto's panting breaths steadied as he was offered a reprieve. He'd never known his body to ache like this before – from his cock to his core. Sasuke had brought him to the precipice and held him there for what felt like an eternity before bringing him back down. A sob welled up from deep in his chest and he begged for Sasuke to bring him to completion. He wanted the pale boy to hurl him over the edge and send him free falling into bliss. But Sasuke would not comply, he continued to make long and excruciatingly slow thrusts.

Growling in frustration, Naruto shifted his weight to one hand and brought the other up to grab hold of his neglected cock. He got in two firm tugs before Sasuke slapped the appendage away. He took the hard length up and stroked it slowly, slightly out of time with his lethargic thrusts. Naruto hung his head and cursed the pale boy – now quite sure that Sasuke was less fucking him and more fucking with him.

Sasuke buried himself to the hilt and applied his weight until the blond buckled beneath him. They fell to the mattress, Naruto's face buried in a pillow to stifle his cries. The blond bucked back against Sasuke's hips, attempting to extract as much pleasure as possible from the languid pace. Sasuke's hands moved from their perch on Naruto's ass to meander up his sides, ghost over his arms and finally slip under the pillow to find Naruto's hands gripping the sheets. Their fingers interlaced, Naruto squeezing tightly, Sasuke once again quickened his pace.

The powerful thrusts weren't the product of Sasuke's hips alone, rather he fucked the blond with his entire body. Propping himself up slightly on his elbows and knees, Sasuke plundered Naruto's ass with his full power. His whole body rocked, plunging him deeper and deeper into the tight channel. The entire bed shook under the stress of their rutting – headboard making low thuds against the wall. Sasuke growled with the realization that he would not be able to hold himself back anymore, the waves of ecstasy pouring over him would not allow it. His cock, wrapped so snugly within Naruto, began to throb with the impending release.

_Fuck it._ His only thought as he brought his hips down with full force. If he was going to go out, he was going to make sure Naruto was thoroughly wrecked. The blond cried out into the bedding as hard thrusts pounded his prostate. His aching erection was caught between his abdomen and the mattress, unable to be consoled as he so desperately needed. But the assault currently being reigned on his prostate had potential – as Naruto bucked back into Sasuke's deep thrusts, he felt the tingle slowly spreading. Between the internal stimulation and the friction of his cock against bed... _Oh God, yes_.

Chest pressed against Naruto's back, Sasuke could feel the trembling vibration of Naruto's screams as he fucked the blond with reckless abandon. He had lost all control of his thrusts – his timing and force; the result was a frantic slamming of his body into the one beneath him. Sasuke pressed his forehead between Naruto's shoulder blades and groaned as he rocked. _So fucking close_.

When the climax hit, it took Naruto by surprise. He screamed out, most of the curses being obscured by the mattress. It truly did feel as if he had be thrown off a cliff – a kind of vertigo that made his mind dizzy with euphoria. His throbbing cock pulsed hard as it spilled his seed deep into the sheets and spread against his skin. Sasuke arched his back, the clenching heat strangling his hard length as he attempted to maintain his hard thrusts. But it was a futile effort as the constricting walls pulled him over the edge. One final thrust, buried the hard length deep inside Naruto as Sasuke bowed back in release. After the purge ceased, the pale boy collapsed with a shudder.

He stayed buried in the wet heat, panting heavily in afterglow. When his muscles finally agreed to move, Sasuke pushed himself up and looked down as his soft dick slid out of the abused channel. Sasuke smirked at the drizzle of thick white fluid that followed.

* * *

Naruto stood next to the counter, smearing peanut butter across a slice of white bread. He stiffened as he felt a body press up behind him; he saw Sasuke in his periphery, reaching up into the cupboard in front of him for a glass. The raven-haired boy pulled back with his quarry in hand and snuck a chaste kiss against Naruto's cheek. The blond turned quickly and captured the pale lips with his own. Sasuke's initial shock melted into compliance as he parted his lips and deepened the kiss.

"Don't mind me," the sound of a chipper voice startled the pale boy, forcing a staggered retreat. Mikoto paid them little mind as she rummaged through the fridge, "I'm just getting some water."

She offered a small smile to the two boys as she left the kitchen. Naruto turned back to his previous activities and finished his peanut butter application, he closed the two slices and grinned as he brought the sandwich to his mouth.

"What?" Sasuke asked with an amused tone.

Naruto swallowed his bite, "Your mom likes me."

Onyx eyes rolled, "...Yeah."

"Your dad will have no choice now... do you think he will give me a big ol' bear hug and ruffle my hair?" The blond grinned cheesily as he took another bite. Dead black eyes stared back and Naruto stuffed more of his sandwich into his mouth, "Do you think he will call me 'sport' and take me on fishing trips?" Sasuke turned and slowly retreated from the kitchen. Naruto followed behind, shouting through his full mouth, "Oh, oh... I know, we can get a family portrait where we all wear matching black turtlenecks!"

The blond continued to amuse himself with his antics as Sasuke rounded the corner to the hallway. A small smile crept across pale lips and he whispered, "I love you dobe."

* * *

**A/N: To avoid confusion I will tell you now - creampie is a term used primarily in the porn industry. It is the money shot wherein internal ejaculation seeps from an orifice. Everybody loves a good creampie. XD**


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